Monster
by Twisterheart
Summary: Like most cats, Ripplepaw dreamed of leading his Clan. However, after an accident leaves him unable to be a proper warrior, he is forced to train as a medicine cat under Nightsky. Fueled by his ambition and anger, Ripplepaw begins to wander down a path that no other medicine cat has walked...that of a murderer.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

A gentle breeze rustled the reeds as Morningstar looked out across the camp clearing. The sun was setting in the sky, meaning most of the warriors were getting ready to head to their nests.

The RiverClan leader sighed as she noticed how skinny her warriors were. Shortly after the beginning of greenleaf, a terrible drought had hit the forest. Most of the rivers and streams had completely dried up, leaving little to no water for the cats. RiverClan had suffered the most, as the river was their main source of prey.

"Are you all right? You look troubled," Birchtail, the RiverClan deputy, questioned.

Morningstar gave her friend a faint smile. "I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment," she confessed.

Birchtail took a seat next to her. "Is it about the drought?" he asked.

Morningstar hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding. "I'm worried we'll lose our best warriors to the drought. And with tensions so high with ThunderClan right now, that's the last thing we need." Morningstar's gaze flickered over to the elders den, where her father Sootpelt lived alone. _I don't think I could live with myself if my father died because of this drought,_ she thought.

"I wouldn't worry too much," Birchtail said softly as he draped his tail across her back.

Morningstar let out a deep sigh. "I know." The dark tortoiseshell she-cat then glanced up at the sky and murmured, "I wonder why StarClan has been so silent."

Birchtail shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps you should send Nightsky to the Moonstone to speak with StarClan? Surely they would share some information with her there."

Morningstar frowned. "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," she whispered, unable to meet his gaze. Nightsky was Morningstar's sister, and RiverClan's only medicine cat. Despite her skill with herbs, Nightsky had a tendency to lie, exaggerate, and slack off.

"I know you don't trust her," the RiverClan deputy said, "but she's medicine cat for a reason. If StarClan didn't believe she was right for the job, they wouldn't have accepted her as Alderpelt's apprentice all those seasons ago."

"I suppose you're right," she said slowly.

Birchtail gave her a small smile, before nudging her to her paws. "Go talk to her," he urged.

Morningstar nodded, before heading across the clearing to where the medicine cats den stood. Poking her head inside she called out, "Nightsky? Are you awake?"

"Just a second!" Nightsky called out, before appearing a couple moments later. The she-cat's fur was ruffled as though she had just woken up, and a piece of a leaf clung to her chest. Glancing down at her dirty appearance she meowed, "I apologize for how unkempt I look. I've just been very busy lately."

Morningstar smiled slightly before asking, "Do you think you could go to the Moonstone tonight? I would like you to speak with StarClan about the drought."

Nightsky nodded. "Of course. Anything for you!" Without warning, Nightsky nuzzled her sister.

Morningstar backed away, shocked.

Nightsky frowned. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"No, it's fine," Morningstar insisted awkwardly. _I never realized we were so distant,_ the RiverClan leader thought with a jolt. _We used to be so close as kits, and now we can't even nuzzle one another without feeling awkward._

"I better get going," the black she-cat muttered as she headed towards the camp entrance. "I'll be back sometime tomorrow evening."

The tortoiseshell leader waved her tail in goodbye. "Good luck, and may StarClan light your path!"

* * *

Nightsky trekked across the moorland, fatigue clawing at her body. Even though she knew it was ridiculous to be heading to the Moonstone so late, she didn't care. _I just want to gain my sister's trust back,_ she thought wearily.

Finally, the RiverClan medicine cat reached the Highstones just as the sun was rising in the sky. Sighing, she climbed up the steep slope before disappearing into Mothermouth. As she walked down the dark tunnel, she wondered if StarClan would even share with her at all.

For the past few seasons, the starry ancestors had been unusually silent. Nightsky had often wondered if they were mad at RiverClan for Volepelt's death, but surely it wasn't their fault, right? ThunderClan should have known that launching an attack on RiverClan during the thaw would be a bad idea. Yet they had tried anyways, and as a result one of their warrior, Volepelt, had fallen through the ice and drowned.

Finally, Nightsky reached the main cavern where the Moonstone lay. Weak sunlight filtered through the hole in the ceiling, just bright enough to where she could see where she was going. She quickly settled down in front of the Moonstone, and touched her nose to its cold surface.

Within seconds, she found herself standing on a riverbank. Above her head, dark storm clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder rumbled in the distance. Suddenly, a flicker of red caught her movement. Looking down, she realized that the river in front of her was turning red with blood!

"What's going on?" she demanded, hoping a StarClan cat would show themselves shortly. Her heart then flickered with hope as the reeds on the opposite bank rustled. To her disappointment, a silver-gray tabby tom stepped out. There was something about this cat that seemed familiar to Nightsky, but she couldn't place what it was.

"That cat is a monster," a familiar voice hissed in her ear.

Spinning around, Nightsky saw that her former mentor Alderpelt was standing there. The dark brown tom's eyes were narrowed in disgust as he stared at the silver-tabby.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her stomach churning nervously.

"There is a monster in RiverClan," Alderpelt meowed ominously. "You will recognize him when you see him. Just know, he is not to be trusted. He must be destroyed, or else all of RiverClan will be doomed!"

Nightsky jolted awake, her heart beating wildly. "I've got to tell Morningstar about this right away!"

* * *

The camp entrance rustled as Nightsky bolted into camp. "Where's Morningstar?" she called out. "I need to speak with her immediately!"

"She's out on evening patrol," Shellnose replied.

"Please go fetch her! It's very important," Nightsky told him.

Shellnose nodded, before padding out of camp.

Nightsky paced back and forth through the clearing as she waited for her sister. The sooner she spoke with her about what StarClan had said, the better.

Finally, Morningstar padded into camp, her eyes wide. "Well, what did they say?" she questioned as she headed towards the medicine cat.

"It's very bad," Nightsky breathed as she walked towards her den. Once inside she blurted out, "Alderpelt appeared and told me there is a monster among our ranks. He said that if we don't stop this cat, RiverClan will be doomed!"

Morningstar's expression quickly changed from worried to annoyed. "You were supposed to ask them about the drought!" she hissed.

"Do you think I control what dreams StarClan sends to me?" Nightsky snapped, growing irritated with her sister.

"No, but you could have at least asked! After all, that's what I sent you to the Moonstone for. Instead you had to come back blabbing about monsters and all this other nonsense. Honestly, Nightsky, I sometimes wonder how you even became a medicine cat in the first place!" Morningstar growled.

Nightsky stood there, shocked. Was this really how her sister viewed her? Narrowing her eyes in anger she spat, "Get out of my den at once."

Morningstar rolled her eyes, before storming out of the den.

The black she-cat let out a loud sigh, before slumping to the ground. Why wasn't Morningstar taking her message seriously? _She just wants another petty reason to hate me is all,_ she concluded. A flicker of movement then caught her eye out in the clearing.

Peering out of her den, she saw that Splashflower was leading her two small kits, Ripplekit and Minnowkit, out into the clearing for the first time. _How cute_ , Nightsky thought as she studied them. Her breath then hitched in her throat as she noticed how similar Ripplekit was to the tomcat in her dream.

 _Surely Alderpelt isn't talking about him?_ she thought. _After all, he's just a kit! How much harm could he do?_

* * *

 **Allegiances**

 **RiverClan**

 **Leader:** Morningstar - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

 **Deputy:** Birchtail - grayish-brown tabby tom

 **Medicine cat:** Nightsky - black she-cat with amber eyes

 **Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)**

Shellnose - gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Pikeheart - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Waveheart - long haired white tom with green eyes

Pebblestripe - gray tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes

Rainfall - gray-and-white she-cat

Lilypelt - cream-colored she-cat with blue eyes

Mudfoot - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Swanfeather - fluffy white she-cat with blue eyes

Puddlefur - black-and-white tom with green eyes

Briarpelt - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Splashflower - long haired silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Ripplekit (long haired silver tom) and Minnowkit (long haired silver she-kit)

Brambletail - brown tabby she-cat. Expecting Shellnose's kits.

 **Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)**

Sootpelt - scrawny black tom with amber eyes

* * *

 **ThunderClan**

 **Leader:** Ravenstar - black she-cat

 **Deputy:** Redheart - dark ginger tom with yellow eyes

 **Medicine cat:** Acornleaf - brown tabby she-cat

 **Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)**

Firetail - ginger-and-white she-cat

Amberclaw - long legged ginger tom

Nettleclaw - gray tabby tom with dark gray stripes

Seedpelt - gray she-cat with darker flecks

 **Apprentice:** Leafpaw

Dovewhisker - fluffy gray she-cat with white paws

Cinderpelt - black tom with large yellow eyes

Duskfur - silver tabby she-cat with black stripes

 **Apprentice:** Brackenpaw

Snowclaw - long haired pure white tom with blue eyes

Goosewing - black-and-white tom

Mossheart - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

 **Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)**

Leafpaw - brown tabby tom with white paws

Brackenpaw - brown tabby she-cat

 **Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Hollystripe - dark brown tabby she-cat. Mother of Kestrelkit (dark brown tabby tom), Fernkit (gray tabby she-kit), and Mousekit (dark brown tabby she-kit).

* * *

 **ShadowClan**

 **Leader:** Bramblestar - large black tom with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Cherrynose - ginger tabby she-cat with white paws

 **Medicine cat:** Honeyleaf - pretty golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)**

Hollowbelly - black-and-white tom

Dawnfire - creamy-brown she-cat with green eyes

Snaketail - brown tabby tom

 **Apprentice:** Ivypaw

Oakfall - reddish-brown tabby tom

Plumfur - dark gray she-cat with a white chest and underbelly

 **Apprentice:** Streampaw

Smokeheart - gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Stormsky - black-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Spiderleap - brown tabby tom with darker stripes and amber eyes

Marshtuft - brown tabby tom

Rowancloud - long haired dark ginger tom

 **Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)**

Ivypaw - black tom

Streampaw - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

 **Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Cedarheart - pale brown she-cat. Mother of Willowkit (pale brown she-kit) and Beechkit (pale brown tom)

 **Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)**

Dustbelly - pale brown tom with a white belly

Brightshine - ginger-and-white she-cat

* * *

 **WindClan**

 **Leader:** Burrowstar - tabby-and-white tom with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Swiftheart - dark gray tom

 **Medicine cat:** Breezetail - elderly gray she-cat with blue eyes

 **Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)**

Hareflight - light brown she-cat

Waspfall - large ginger tom with yellow eyes

 **Apprentice:** Blackpaw

Milkfur - creamy white tom

Gorseclaw - lithe brownish-gray tom

Badgerstrike - black she-cat with white muzzle and chest

 **Apprentice:** Poppypaw

Berryheart - cream-brown tom with blue eyes

Grassleap - brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice:** Lionpaw

Rosefoot - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

 **Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)**

Blackpaw - pure black tom with long tail

Poppypaw - dark brown tabby she-cat

Lionpaw - golden-brown she-cat

 **Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Sheepfur - long-haired white she-cat.

Mottleflower - pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes. Expecting Waspfall's kits.

Wrenfeather - ginger tabby she-cat. Mother of Dewkit (ginger-and-white tom), and Sunkit (ginger tabby tom)

 **Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)**

Flowerspots - brown-and-white she-cat with battle scarred muzzle

Owlflight - blind gray tom with torn ear tips

* * *

 **SkyClan**

 **Leader:** Flystar - large ginger tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy:** Petalfall - rose-cream furred she-cat with dark green eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Bumblebee - yellow tabby she-cat

 **Medicine Cat Apprentice:** Fawnpaw

 **Warriors: (Toms and she-cats without kits)**

Starlingfeather - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Hawksnow - brown tabby tom speckled with white

Nightfur - black tom

 **Apprentice:** Weaselpaw

Quailheart - dappled gray tom

Fernpelt - dark brown tabby she-cat

Mousefang - sandy-colored she-cat

 **Apprentice:** Hazelpaw

Rainleap - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Cloudstorm - small pale gray tom with white splotches

 **Apprentice:** Stoatpaw

Birdflight - long haired brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Buzzardtail - ginger tabby tom with green eyes

 **Apprentices: (Cats older than six moons in training to become warriors)**

Fawnpaw - light brown she-cat

Weaselpaw - brown-and-ginger tom

Hazelpaw - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stoatpaw - ginger-and-white tom

 **Queens: (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)**

Goldenfur - golden tabby she-cat. Expecting Flystar's kits.

Hootwing - dark brown tabby she-cat.

 **Elders: (Warriors and queens now retired)**

Adderstrike - deaf dark brown tabby tom

Squirrelstep - fluffy gray tom


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Ripplekit groaned as a paw prodded his side. Slowly, he opened his blue eyes to see his mother standing over him. "W-what's going on?" he asked sleepily as he sat up in their shared nest.

"Come outside," his mother urged.

Ripplekit stared at her, confused. "It's nighttime!" he argued.

Splashflower let out a small purr of amusement. "I know, but there's something I want the two of you to see."

Ripplekit exchanged a look with his sister, who simply shrugged.

Once out in the clearing, Ripplekit noticed that most of the other RiverClan cats had gathered as well. "What's going on?" he asked once more, hoping his mother would explain why she had dragged him out of bed so late.

"Yeah," Minnowkit squeaked, "why are we out in the clearing so late? Is there a special ceremony going on?"

Splashflower shook her head. "No, little ones. I've brought you out into the clearing because it's going to rain! You have no idea how important this is to us. We haven't had rain all season long!"

Ripplekit's eyes widened. "You mean we'll be getting _wet_?" he choked out. Just then, a loud rumble of thunder sounded, making the young kit jump.

Splashflower leaned down to give him a small lick on the head. "Don't worry, little one. It's nothing to be scared of."

Ripplekit nodded slowly, before pressing against his mother's side for comfort. Slowly, he glanced up at the sky, wondering when the rain would fall. After a few minutes of waiting, a couple of raindrops began to fell from the sky.

"It's actually raining!" Pebblestripe yowled.

"I can't believe it. I thought I'd never see a thunderstorm again!" Pikeheart meowed.

Ripplekit stared around the clearing as more and more raindrops fell. "Why are they so excited?" he wondered.

"There's been a terrible drought lately," Splashflower explained. "This rain will hopefully end it, and bring the prey back to the forest."

As the rain increased, so did the thunder and lightning. Each time the sky let out a rumble, both Ripplekit and Minnowkit would jump out of fear.

"I don't like the scary sounds!" Minnowkit wailed as she placed her paws over her ears. "Make it stop!"

"I know it's scary," their mother whispered, "but the thunder and lightning is nothing to be scared of. How about I tell you a story to distract you from it?" Splashflower gave both of her kits a sympathetic look as she spoke. She then stood up and lead them back towards the nursery.

Ripplekit nuzzled up against her belly before meowing, "A story would be great!"

"All right then. What do you want to hear?" Splashflower wondered.

Minnowkit settled down beside Ripplekit before requesting, "I want to hear about how the Clans were formed again."

"No way! We heard that story last week," Ripplekit argued. "I want to hear the story about how the warrior code was made!"

"That story is boring!" Minnowkit yelled.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"All right, that's enough," their mother interrupted. "How about I make a story up that you've never heard before?" Before the kits could answer, the clearing outside erupted with shrieks and yowls.

Splashflower leaped to her paws, before racing out of the den. Ripplekit chased after her, scared and confused. To his surprise, he saw a billow of dark clouds rising from the reeds over by Morningstar's den.

"What's happening?" he called out, hoping some cat would explain to him what was happening.

"A lightning strike sparked a fire!" Morningstar yowled as she bolted out of her den. "We must evacuate camp immediately!"

Ripplekit's blue eyes widened in fear. The young tom looked around the clearing for his mother, but due to the sea of cats that was bustling around him in the dark, it was impossible. "Mother!" he called out. "Mother, where are you?"

Ripplekit then headed for a small willow that grew on the edge of camp. _Perhaps if I climb up high enough, I'll be able to spot mother!_ He thought as he scrambled his way up the willow. When he reached a low hanging branch, he gazed out across the clearing, hoping to catch sight of his mother. To his annoyance, it was impossible for him to make out the colors of any of the cats. All of them looked dark in the pale moonlight, and it didn't help that smoke was filling the clearing.

As the kit climbed down, he let out a small whimper. What would happen to him if he never found Splashflower? Surely another warrior would help him escape camp, right?

When he reached the ground, he realized that most of the warriors had left camp. "Wait for me!" he called as he attempted to follow their scent trail. However, as soon as he reached the camp entrance, he was at a loss. From there, the unfamiliar scents of the reeds and territory beyond confused his nose, making it impossible to follow. Not to mention, he could barely see due to the dark!

The little kit curled up in a ball, scared and confused. "Don't let me die," he prayed to StarClan as he glanced over at the growing flames. By now, Morningstar's entire den had caught fire. The elders den was also starting to catch fire, and before long the whole camp would be up in flames.

Ripplekit glanced back at the camp entrance. _Perhaps I should try to follow their scent trail anyways,_ he thought. Puffing out his chest, the little tom scampered through the entrance and through the forest of reeds. Every couple of steps, he would pause to scent the air. At first he thought he had caught scent of his Clanmates, but the further he got, the less confident he felt.

After walking for what felt like seasons, Ripplekit plopped down on the ground with a sigh. He then let out a few loud wails, hoping some cat would hear him. To his disappointment, no cats came to his rescue.

Alone and scared, Ripplekit crouched down on the ground, waiting for his impending doom. As he watched the flicker of flames rise in the distance, his heart beat quickened.

"I don't want to die," he whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut. The little tom desperately wanted to get away, but he didn't know how. No matter how far he ran, he would just get deeper and deeper into the reeds.

After a while, the air around him began to grow thick and unbreathable. _What's happening_ , he thought as he struggled for a breath. The air just grew thicker and thicker, causing the little tom to chock. Suddenly, he blacked out...

* * *

"He's waking up!"

Ripplekit slowly opened his eyes. Immediately, he realized that he was in an unfamiliar den surrounded by strange scents. "Am I dead?" he asked groggily.

"Of course not," an unfamiliar voice murmured gently. "You're in the ThunderClan medicine cats den."

"ThunderClan...?" Ripplekit trailed off, too weak to speak.

"Shh... You need to relax. I promise your mother will explain to you later," the voice continued on.

Ripplekit nodded and shut his eyes again. After a few minutes of laying there in silence, a cat came bursting into the den, alerting him.

"Nightsky told me he woke up!" the familiar sound of Splashflower's voice filled Ripplekit's ears, causing him to purr. A few seconds later, his mother was at his side, covering him in frantic licks.

"You have no idea how worried I was!" his mother wailed. "I-I thought you were dead for sure."

"I'm fine," Ripplekit coughed as he opened his eyes once more. As he looked over his mother, he saw how upset she looked. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's not your fault. You're alive and that's all that matters," Splashflower said, nuzzling him.

"What happened to me?" he wondered. "And why are we in ThunderClan's camp? Aren't they our enemy?"

"After the fire, we quickly headed to Sunningrocks. It was there I realized you weren't beside me, so Morningstar sent out a search party for you. It was then your father found you unconscious in the reeds. From there, we went to ThunderClan's camp seeking shelter and help for you," his mother explained. "But there's no need to worry now. Everything is okay."

"Why did I go unconscious?" he asked, feeling his chest tighten.

"You passed out due to the smoke," the unfamiliar ThunderClan she-cat explained.

"Oh," Ripplekit squeaked. Slowly, he began to sit up in his nest, before breaking out into a coughing fit.

"Will he be okay?" Splashflower wondered, her blue eyes round with fear.

"I'm sure he will be," the she-cat replied as she sorted through some strange leaves. A second later, she dropped a bundle of them down in front of Ripplekit. "Eat those," she ordered, "they'll help you breathe better."

Ripplekit nodded and gobbled down the leaves. As he ate, he grimaced at their sour taste. "You never told me they would taste bad!"

"If I told you, you wouldn't have been so willing to eat them," the ThunderClan cat replied, before cracking a smile.

Ripplekit frowned, before curling back up in his nest. "I think I'm going to go back to sleep," he confessed, looking up at his mother.

Splashflower nodded. "All right, little one. If you need me, just know I'm right out in the clearing, okay?" The gray tabby she-cat stood up and gave him a lick on the forehead, before backing out of the den, leaving Ripplekit alone with the she-cat.

"Thank you for helping me," he told her. "By the way, what is your name?"

The she-cat gave him a sympathetic glance. "It's nothing. And I'm Acornleaf."

"Acornleaf," he murmured softly to himself, before closing his eyes and settling down in his nest. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for all of the reviews everyone! You have no idea how much this means to me. I will try my best to update as frequent as possible, so please look forward to future updates. Anyways, I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Edit: Thanks to the guest who pointed out the mistake! Fixed.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Ripplekit wiggled his haunches, before pouncing on Minnowkit. The silver she-kit let out a surprised gasp, before pushing her brother away. Ripplekit smirked, before diving back onto her. As the two wrestled, Ripplekit felt a tightening in his chest, causing him to have to pull away.

As he sat there wheezing, Minnowkit growled, "You're no fun anymore!"

Ripplekit glared at her. "You know I can't help it," he rasped.

It had been a moon since RiverClan's camp burned down. Since then, the Clan had relocated to an abandoned Twoleg nest that stood on the very outskirts of the forest. It was a bit musty and cold, but it was better than nothing.

"I'm sorry," Minnowkit apologized as she pressed against her brother.

"I know you didn't mean it," he replied, nuzzling her.

Minnowkit smiled, before frowning again. "What if you never get any better?" she whispered, avoiding his gaze.

Ripplekit nudged her. "I'll be fine," he reassured her.

His sister's smile returned once more, causing Ripplekit to smile. He liked when his sister was happy; it made him happy as well. Without warning, Ripplekit launched himself as her again, and they continued their play fight.

Within seconds, Ripplekit felt himself being dragged off of his sister. Glancing up, he saw that his father, Waveheart, was standing there with a concerned expression plastered across his face.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy," he warned, eyeing his son.

"I am taking it easy," Ripplekit argued.

Waveheart let out a sigh. "Oh really? Because it looks to me as though the two of you are rough-housing."

The two kits flattened their ears to their heads. "We're sorry," Minnowkit squeaked. "We're just trying to have fun."

"I know." Waveheart's gaze softened. "You have to be careful, though. Your brother will never recover properly if he doesn't give his lungs a break."

"Will his lungs be healed properly by the time we become apprentices?" she asked.

Waveheart shrugged. "That's for Nightsky to answer," he replied.

Minnowkit exchanged a glance with her brother, who simply said, "I'm sure I'll be fully healed by then. After all, our apprentice ceremony won't be for another two moons."

"I can't believe you two are almost apprentices," Waveheart murmured. "It feels like just yesterday your mother told me she was expecting kits."

"We're going to be the best apprentices this Clan has ever seen!" Ripplekit promised his father, before batting at the air. "Take that, ThunderClan enemy! And that!"

"You shouldn't speak so ill of ThunderClan after what they did to help us," Nightsky scolded as she walked up.

Ripplekit glared at her. _Has she forgotten that ThunderClan is our enemy?_ he thought.

"I've brought you your medicine," Nightsky said, changing the subject. The black she-cat then dropped a bundle of herbs down in front of Ripplekit.

The little tom eyed the herbs in disgust, before wrinkling his nose. "Do I have to eat it?" he complained.

Nightsky rolled her eyes. "Do you want to get better?"

"Eat it," Minnowkit whispered in his ear.

Ripplekit groaned, before gobbling the disgusting plants down. With every bite he took, he gagged at the bitter taste. When he was finally done, he stuck his tongue out.

"Oh, come on now!" Nightsky protested. "It can't be _that_ bad."

"Well, it is!" Ripplekit retorted.

The medicine cat let out a sigh, before walking away. "I'll be back later tonight with more," she called over her shoulder.

Once she was gone, Ripplekit let out a yawn.

"I think it's time for a nap," Waveheart commented.

"But I'm not tired!" Minnowkit argued, before yawning herself.

Their father chuckled, before leading them over to the spot the nursing queens slept.

"It's time for their nap," Waveheart told Splashflower.

The queen purred, before motioning for her kits to come lie down next to her belly. The two of them nodded, and padded over to their mother. As they settled down, Ripplekit eyed Brambletail. The brown tabby she-cat was laying in the hay next to them, fast asleep.

"Why is she here?" he questioned.

"She's expecting kits," Splashflower answered as she rasped her tongue over his ears.

"When will they be here?" Ripplekit wondered.

"Not for another moon," she said.

"How many will there be?" the little tom asked.

"You sure are full of questions, aren't you?" Splashflower laughed. "We won't know until they're born. Now go to sleep, my brave little warrior.

Ripplekit purred as his mother's tongue ran down his flank. Within moments, he felt his eyelids droop, before falling asleep.

* * *

"Nightsky is here with your medicine," Splashflower announced.

Ripplekit sighed and pushed the water vole he was eating away. "Again?" he complained.

"I told you I would be back later tonight," Nightsky reminded him, dropping the herbs as his paws again. As he ate, the medicine cat looked over at Splashflower and asked, "Can you bring him to Morningstar's den when he's done?"

Splashflower's eyes filled with concern. "Has he done something wrong?"

Nightsky shook her head. "No, of course not. We would just like to talk to the both of you about something."

Ripplekit looked at her. Why did Morningstar want to speak with him? _Perhaps she's going to make me an apprentice early!_ At that thought, he gobbled down the herbs as fast as he could, before leaping to his paws.

"I'm ready!" he called out.

Nightsky smiled slightly, before leading the way to where Morningstar slept.

The dark tortoiseshell leader was sitting upright in her nest, quietly grooming her fur. When she saw the group approaching her, her eyes twinkled. "Good evening," she called out, standing to her paws.

"Good evening," Splashflower echoed, taking a seat. Ripplekit sat down next to her, barely able to contain his excitement.

"Nightsky and I have been talking," the RiverClan leader began, glancing at her sister, "and we have come to the conclusion that Ripplekit should become the next medicine cat of RiverClan!"

Ripplekit sat there, shocked. "Absolutely not!" he blurted out. "I want to be a warrior!"

"I'm not sure what's possible anymore," Nightsky commented.

Ripplekit glared at her. "What do you mean? You told me I would be fully recovered by the time I reached six moons!"

"I know I did, and I'm sorry," the medicine cat meowed, before looking over at Splashflower.

The silver queen was silent for a few moments, as if she didn't know what to say. Finally she asked, "Is there any particular reason you think this?"

"Due to the amount of scarring on his lungs, I don't think he'll ever be able to be a proper warrior. Swimming and catching fish would be too much of a challenge for him, especially if he were to accidentally inhale water. It would be much easier on him if he were to train as a medicine cat," Nightsky replied.

"I don't want an easier life! I want to hunt and fight for my Clan," Ripplekit growled angrily.

"You'd get the same amount of satisfaction from healing your Clanmates as you would hunting," Nightsky meowed.

"I _don't_ care," he spat. "I want to be a warrior!" The little tom then glanced at his mother. "Please don't let them force me into becoming a medicine cat," he pleaded.

Splashflower squeezed her eyes shut, lost in thought. Finally she asked, "Can't we at least wait until he's six moons before having this discussion? He might be fully healed by then." The queen then wrapped her plumy tail around her son in an act of comfort.

Ripplekit purred and pressed himself closer to her.

Morningstar frowned, but did not argue. "Very well," she said, sitting back down. "We will wait until Ripplekit is six moons old. If his condition has improved, he can train to be a warrior. If not, he will train under Nightsky."

Splashflower nodded. "That sounds good," she replied, before leading Ripplekit away.

Once they reached their nest, Minnowkit came bounding up. "What was that all about?" she questioned, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Morningstar wants me to become Nightsky's apprentice!" he growled, before plopping down in the hay.

"What? No way!" his sister cried out. "You can't become a medicine cat apprentice!"

"That's what I said!" he replied, resting his chin on his forepaws. The silver-gray tom flexed his claws in and out as he thought about what Morningstar had said. The idea of being Nightsky's apprentice sounded utterly dreadful to him. While healing the sick was important, it wasn't something Ripplekit wanted to be responsible for. He wanted to be out beside the river, catching fish for the Clan like his father. He had even planned on becoming leader one day, just like Morningstar. _I'd never force a cat into something they didn't like though,_ he thought.

Ripplekit then glanced over at a small hole in the wall of the Twoleg nest. After making sure his mother wasn't watching him, he crept over to the hole and slid out. Once outside, he took a seat next to a clump of ferns and let out a breath of fresh air.

"I'll be the best warrior this Clan has ever seen," he vowed to himself. "And then when I'm leader, Nightsky and Morningstar will regret that they even suggested I become a medicine cat!"

* * *

 **Sorry I haven't updated for a few days. I have been a bit busy with school, so it has taken up most of my time. Once again, thank you for all of your reviews. I look forward to what you all have to say every time I update.**

 **Storm Cycle - Thank you very much! I'm not sure what you mean by the names aren't accurate, though. Could you specify?**

 **Foxcloud of BookClan - You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Hopefully you will enjoy this one as well.**

 **Wyldclaw - Thanks! Glad you liked it.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ripplekit's eyes gleamed as he followed his father towards RiverClan's camp. The reeds and grass that surrounded the camp were finally starting to grow back, meaning the warriors could start rebuilding.

"I'm going to build a whole den all by myself!" he squeaked.

Waveheart let out a chuckle. "Oh really?"

Ripplekit nodded. "It'll be the best den ever."

"I'm sure it will be," Waveheart meowed as he padded back into the remains of the camp. The entire clearing was black with soot and ash.

"How depressing," Shellnose sighed as he padded over to where the warriors den used to stand.

"Let's get to work!" Birchtail announced. The RiverClan deputy then began to sort cats into different groups. "Ripplekit, I want you to help Nightsky rebuild the medicine cats den."

The little tom let out a small hiss. He wanted to build the warriors den! Ripplekit glared at Nightsky, who was padding into camp with a bundle of sticks in her jaws. Slowly, he headed over towards her and growled, "I have to help you build your stupid den."

Nightsky blinked at him, clearly surprised by his tone of voice. The RiverClan medicine cat then sat the bundle of sticks down.

The two cats worked in silence for a long time. Finally, Ripplekit stepped back from the wall they had built and said, "I'm going back to the abandoned Twoleg nest."

"But we aren't done!" Nightsky argued.

 _I_ _don't care_ , he thought. For a second, he was almost tempted to tell that to her face, but he held his tongue.

Ripplekit turned and headed out of camp as fast as he could. After a little while, he felt his chest tighten. He tried to ignore the pain, but it proved to be too much for him. Plopping down in the grass he let out a loud hiss.

The grass behind him rustled. Looking up, he saw that Nightsky had followed after him. "Are you okay?" she wondered, taking a seat next to him.

Ripplekit scooted away from her, wanting nothing to do with her. "No," he grunted.

"Why don't you want to train as my apprentice?" Nightsky suddenly asked.

Ripplekit blinked at her. Was she really asking him this question? Trying to remain calm he replied, "From the moment I was born, I knew I wanted to be a warrior. You get to hunt and fight, and in my opinion there's nothing better! Healing just doesn't interest me whatsoever. I know it's an important job, but that's not what I want to do with the rest of my life."

Nightsky was quiet for a few moments. "What if I were to tell you it's your destiny to train as my apprentice?" For a second, Ripplekit thought she was going to say something else, but she didn't.

He snorted. "I don't believe in destiny. I think a cat should be allowed to walk down whatever path they want. We shouldn't blindly follow what dead cats tell us to do."

The medicine cat let out a sigh. "You must do this, Ripplekit. It's for your own good, as well as the good of the Clan."

Ripplekit glared at her once more. "No," he stated firmly. "Now do me a favor and leave me alone!"

Nightsky flattened her ears to her head. "I'm just trying to protect you. You have no idea what kind of trouble you're facing!" she whispered, unable to meet his gaze.

Ripplekit stared at her. "What are you talking about?" he begged. What did Nightsky know about him? Was he going to be killed in a future battle, or taken hostage?

"I've already said too much," she rasped. "But please reconsider my offer." Without waiting to see his reaction, the black she-cat stood up and raced back towards camp, leaving Ripplekit alone.

Ripplekit stood to his paws, confused, upset and angry. Pushing his thoughts away, he headed back to the Twoleg nest where RiverClan was staying for the time being.

"You're back early!" Splashflower commented as he squeezed through a gap in the wall. She then asked, "Where is your father?"

"I left without him," Ripplekit replied as he settled down next to the crook of her belly.

Splashflower's eyes widened. "It's far too dangerous for you to be wandering back and forth without your father! What if a dog had gotten you?"

"I'm fine," he insisted.

His mother let out a sigh, before giving him a few licks on the head. "Have you welcomed the newest members of the Clan yet?"

Ripplekit shook his head. Last night Brambletail had given birth to a tom and a she-kit, which she had named Frogkit and Reedkit.

"Well, come on." His mother lead him over to Brambletail's nest.

As they approached, the brown tabby she-cat lifted up her head. "Hello," she rasped. "Have you come to meet the kits?"

Ripplekit and his mother nodded.

Brambletail let out a small purr, before repositioning herself. "This is Frogkit," she meowed, flicking her tail towards a light brown tom. "And this is Reedkit." Brambletail then pointed her tail at the dark brown she-cat.

"I see neither of them took after Shellnose," Splashflower laughed.

"I'm very surprised," Brambletail said. "I really expected them to look like their father."

"What does he think of them?"

Ripplekit tuned out from the conversation. He wasn't very interested in the kits, so he turned and headed back to his nest. No matter how much he tried to clear his head, it was impossible. Nightsky's words repeated over and over, making him extremely anxious.

"Have you met Frogkit and Reedkit yet?" Minnowkit wondered.

Ripplekit nodded.

"Aren't they the cutest?" his sister squealed. "They're so small and fluffy... Oh, I can't wait until I have kits of my own some day!"

He grunted. "I guess," he muttered, before curling up in the hay.

Within seconds, he found himself in a dark, stinking forest. The smell of rotting corpses and toadstool hit his nose, causing him to gag. "What is this place?" he shrieked.

Suddenly, the screams of his sister sounded from up ahead. Breaking into a run, Ripplekit chased after the sound. His chest tightened with every step he took, but he knew he could not stop. His sister was in trouble!

He skidded to a halt when he reached a clearing. Ripplekit's blue eyes widened with horror when he saw a large pile of bodies laying in the center. Their throats had been slit, and their eyes were rolled back in their heads. Ripplekit turned away, unable to stare at the grotesque scene for very long.

"Look at them," a voice hissed from the shadows.

"No!" he wailed.

"Look at them!" the voice roared.

Ripplekit flinched, before turning his gaze back at the pile of dead bodies. He immediately realized that he knew every single one of the cats in front of him.

Morningstar, Birchtail, Nightsky, Shellnose, Pikeheart, Splashflower, Waveheart, Minnowkit, Frogkit, Reedkit...

"What happened to them?" he cried out.

No reply.

"What happened to them?!" Ripplekit repeated.

The silver tom sat up, panting. To his relief, he was back in the Twoleg nest. Once he had calmed down, he began to wonder what the dream had really meant. Did the dream symbolize his fate if he didn't become a medicine cat?

 **Once again, thank you for all of the reviews. I apologize at how short this chapter was. My computer is broken, so I have to use my iPad to write stories from now on. I'm not very used to typing to much on here, so that makes for shorter chapters. I will try to update again as soon as I can. I will tell you now that the next chapter involves Ripplekit's apprentice ceremony, so look forward to that**.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Stop wiggling!" Splashflower scolded.

Ripplekit flattened his ears to his head, before finally sitting still. "Sorry," he apologized as he felt his mother's tongue drape over his back. Today was his apprentice ceremony, and he was terrified. Despite the nightmare he had received, the young tom wanted nothing more than to train as a warrior. He wanted to feel responsible for the safety and well being of his Clan. Not to mention, he wanted to make sure that whatever monster had killed his Clanmates in his dream would be stopped.

"I'm so excited!" Minnowkit squealed as she gazed out into the clearing. Looking back at her brother she wondered, "Who do you think my mentor will be?"

Ripplekit shrugged. "I have no idea," he answered honestly.

Finally, Splashflower sat back and gazed at her two kits with admiration. "I can't believe the two of you are about to become apprentices," she breathed. The silver queen stood up and began to head for the nursery entrance. "Now remember what I told you earlier: you are to walk out into the clearing in a dignified manner. Do not behave like a kit!"

Ripplekit and Minnowkit nodded, before following their mother out into the clearing. As they passed, every cat stared at them, causing Ripplekit to grow slightly uncomfortable.

Morningstar pushed her way out of her makeshift den and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to swim gather here for a Clan meeting!" The leader didn't have to wait long, as a majority of the Clan had already assembled. Morningstar then beckoned Minnowkit and Ripplekit forward with her tail.

Slowly, Ripplekit walked towards her. With every pawstep, his heart beat quickened in his chest. He glanced back at Nightsky, hoping to read her expression. To his disappointment, the black she-cat remained stoic. Gulping, Ripplekit turned and faced towards his leader, ready to learn who would be mentoring him. As he waited, he could feel his chest tightening.

"Minnowkit and Ripplekit have reached six moons, meaning it is time for them to become apprentices. Minnowkit, from this moment on you shall be known as Minnowpaw. Your mentor shall be Briarpelt, who is a very skilled warrior." Glancing up at the dark brown tom Morningstar added, "Cloudheart was your mentor, so I expect you to pass on everything she taught you to Minnowpaw."

Briarpelt dipped his head. "I promise I'll do my best," he vowed, before touching noses with his new apprentice.

 _It's my turn,_ Ripplekit thought. Even though he knew he should be excited, the little tom felt as though he was about to be sentenced to exile. Glancing forward, he waited for Morningstar to announce his fate.

"Ripplekit, from this moment forward you shall be known as Ripplepaw. Nightsky will be mentoring you. I know she will teach you everything she knows when it comes to herbs and interpreting omens," the RiverClan leader announced.

 _No!_ he thought as a wave of dread came crashing down on him.

Suddenly, he felt Nightsky's pelt brush up against him. "We need to touch noses," she whispered in his ear.

Ripplepaw jerked away from her, hissing. "Get away from me!" he spat, his fur bristling.

Nightsky stared at him, shocked. Before she could say anything, Waveheart and Splashflower padded up.

"There has to be some sort of mistake," Waveheart insisted as he stared at his son. "Ripplepaw is supposed to train as a warrior!"

"He isn't fit to be a proper warrior," Nightsky growled, narrowing her eyes at her apprentice.

"Yes, he is! I know he has breathing problems, but he'll over come them in time. You can't force him to train as your apprentice if he doesn't want to!" the white warrior argued.

Nightsky flicked her tail back and forth, annoyed. "There's no other place for him in the Clan! So he'll either train as my apprentice, or he can spend the rest of his life as an elder." The black she-cat turned to face Ripplepaw, who was scowling.

"Give it a try," Splashflower whispered into her son's ear.

Ripplepaw glared at his mother. "How can you say that?" he asked. "Isn't my happiness important?"

Splashflower flattened her ears to her head. "I just don't want to see you stuck in the elders den for the rest of your life. You have so much potential, and I don't want it to go to waste. Besides, you might grow to like it." When Ripplepaw didn't respond she added, "Please? For me?"

Ripplepaw huffed, before looking over at Nightsky. "I guess," he hissed.

Nightsky gave him a smug look, before padding back towards her den. The silver tom sighed, and slowly followed after her. Once inside, the strong aroma of flowers and berries over came him. _Great! I'm going to be stuck with this for the rest of my life._

"I was thinking we could go out looking for chervil," his mentor meowed as she pointed towards a pile of herbs.

"Okay," he muttered, not interested.

Nightsky flicked her ear in annoyance, but didn't say anything. Instead she ordered Ripplepaw to study the herb's appearance and scent. The silver tom sat there for a few seconds, looking at the plant. Finally he meowed, "I think I'm ready."

Nightsky nodded her head in approval, before padding out of camp. Ripplepaw followed after her, excited to see the world beyond camp. To his disappointment, there wasn't very much to see. Due to the fire, a majority of the trees had been burnt up, leaving nothing but tall grasses and the occasional boulder. "Will we come across any trees?" he asked.

To his surprise, she nodded. "There's a beech copse over by the Twoleg greenleaf place, however we won't be heading that way today."

"Then where are we going?" he wondered.

"We're going to head over by the Twoleg bridge. That's where chervil grows the best," Nightsky responded.

Ripplepaw frowned, slightly disappointed. _It's becoming very difficult for me to enjoy this, when I don't even get to do anything fun!_

After a long period of walking, the two cats paused beside the river where a large clump of chervil grew.

"Grab it like this," Nightsky ordered as she pulled the plant up by the root. "And make sure not to break the stem. The juices inside are very important, so we need to keep everything intact."

Ripplepaw nodded, before pulling the plants up. Before he could grab a third mouthful, Nightsky stopped him.

"You're being too rough!" she scolded. "Here, like this!" the medicine cat repeated the proper way to pull the plant up, before sitting back to observe her apprentice.

The silver tom bent his head down, and gently pulled bundles of chervil from the ground. The leaves of the plant tickled his nose and mouth, and it left an uncomfortable taste in his mouth. Once a sizable pile had accumulated at his side he asked, "Is this enough?"

Nightsky nodded. "I think so," she replied.

"Does that mean we can head back to camp, then?" Ripplepaw asked hopefully.

Nightsky shook her head. "I was thinking we could go look for some marigold while we're out. There's a patch of it close by, so it won't take us very long."

Ripplepaw let out a low growl, before picking up his bundle of chervil. As he followed after Nightsky, his mind drifted to Minnowpaw. _I bet she's having the time of her life,_ he thought miserably.

Finally, they stopped beside the patch of marigold that Nightsky had mentioned earlier. Once again, his mentor showed him the proper way to gather the plant.

This continued on for the next couple of hours. Nightsky would "conveniently" mention an herb that was growing nearby, before taking Ripplepaw to it and making him gather it. By the end of the day, the young tom's mouth was packed full of plants.

"Place them here," Nightsky ordered once they arrived back at camp.

Ripplepaw quickly spat out the herbs, before rubbing his jaw. "Am I done for today?" he asked, glancing around camp for his sister.

"We have to organize them, remember?" the black she-cat reminded him, before pushing the herbs towards him. "I want you to separate the herbs from each other. Once you're done with that, start separating their leaves, stems, and roots. And once you've got that all finished, you can go eat. If you need me, I'll be out in the clearing," Nightsky meowed, before trotting off.

Sighing, Ripplepaw began to separate the herbs the best he could. The process was extremely boring and time consuming, which annoyed him.

By sunset, the medicine cat apprentice sat back, looking down at the herbs he had just sorted. "I'm done!" he breathed, before rushing out into the clearing. To his surprise, most of the warriors had finished eating and were now heading to their nests.

Sighing, he headed over to the remains of the fresh-kill pile, which consisted of a scrawny mouse and a thrush. Not in the mood for feathers, Ripplepaw decided to eat the mouse. He walked over to an isolated corner of camp, before taking a bite out of the mouse. As he thought about his day, he felt tears welling up in his eyes. _I should be out learning how to hunt and fight! Not how to pick herbs!_

To upset to eat, Ripplepaw pushed the remains of his mouse away. He then padded back to the medicine cats den. Inside, Nightsky was arranging his nest.

"You did a wonderful job organizing the herbs," his mentor praised. "I'm really proud of you."

Ripplepaw just glared at her. _I hate you so much,_ he thought bitterly.

"Is something wrong?" Nightsky questioned, staring at him.

He shook his head. "I'm just tired is all."

Nightsky gave him an unsure look, before flicking her tail towards the moss nest she had organized. "This is your new nest," she told him.

Ripplepaw nodded, and curled up in the nest. A piece of reed poked at him, but he was too upset to complain about it. "Thanks," he meowed stiffly, before shutting his eyes.

Nightsky purred, before settling down in her own nest. "I was thinking we could go out looking for thyme tomorrow. And then maybe after that, I'll show you the proper way to remove ticks. How does that sound?"

The apprentice simply grunted, before rolling onto his side. He could hear Nightsky sigh, before eventually falling asleep.

Rolling over to face her, Ripplepaw felt nothing but hatred towards her. _You've ruined my life,_ he thought angrily, before sleep overcame him.

* * *

 **I hope you all liked this chapter! It was a lot of fun to write, and I'm really looking forward to future chapters. Once again, thank you for all of your reviews. It means a lot to me that you all are enjoying the story. I will try to update as soon as I can, but currently I'm having internet issues and I'm swamped with school work, so I don't get a lot of time to write.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Pale moonlight washed over the forest as the RiverClan cats made their way to Fourtrees. With each pawstep, Ripplepaw's stomach churned nervously.

"I want to go home," he whispered, fluffing out his pelt.

Nightsky gave him a stern look. "No. Now, stop worrying so much. Everything will be fine! I bet you'll make tons of new friends tonight," his mentor meowed.

Ripplepaw glared. "I don't want to make new friends. I want to go home!"

"Well, you're not! So be quiet and stop complaining." Nightsky gave him a cross look, before pausing beside Birchtail.

The RiverClan cats were paused at the top of the slope leading down to Fourtrees. Finally, Morningstar signaled for her cats to go down into the clearing. As Ripplepaw followed Nightsky down into the clearing, his heart thumped wildly in his chest.

"It looks like ThunderClan and SkyClan are already here," Shellnose commented, before padding off in the direction of a large golden tom. Briarpelt and Mudfoot followed after him, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Why don't you go talk to Weaselpaw?" Nightsky suggested, flicking her tail towards a plump brown tom. "He's a new SkyClan apprentice, so you two may have a lot in common." As the black she-cat nudged Ripplepaw towards the SkyClan apprentice, Ripplepaw dug his claws into the ground.

"Making friendships with the other Clans is against the warrior code, remember?" he said.

Nightsky flattened her ears to her head. "Tonight is special," she insisted. When she realized her apprentice wasn't going to obey, she stalked off in the direction of a white she-cat.

Now alone, Ripplepaw flattened himself to the ground. He tried to scan the clearing for any cat he knew, but he couldn't. There were too many sights and scents that it confused him. Suddenly, he felt a cat brush against him. Looking up, he saw a light brown tabby she-cat.

"You seem lonely," she commented, taking a seat beside him.

Ripplepaw's neck fur bristled slightly. "I'm fine," he snapped, turning away from her.

The she-cat flattened her ears to her head. "I'm Willowpaw of ShadowClan. What's your name?"

He stared at her. _Doesn't she understand I'm not interested in making friends?_ He thought irritably. Letting out a small growl he muttered, "My name is Ripplepaw."

"Nice to meet you, Ripplepaw! I assume you belong to RiverClan. Is that correct?" Willowpaw asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

The silver tom nodded. "Correct," he said.

Before Willowpaw could ask him anything else, Morningstar let out a yowl, "Now that all five Clans have arrived, let this Gathering begin!" Once the clearing was silent, she turned to a dark gray tom and asked, "Would you like to begin?"

The dark gray tom nodded, before stepping forward. "I have sad news this moon. Burrowstar was killed by a dog a few sunrises ago. WindClan mourns him deeply, but since his death I have been given my nine lives. I am now Swiftstar, and Milkfur is my deputy."

"Swiftstar! Milkfur! Swiftstar! Milkfur!" cats from every Clan cheered.

Once the noise died down, Swiftstar continued, "I would also like to announce we have a new litter of kits. Mottleflower has given birth to two healthy kits, whom she has named Larkkit and Eaglekit." Stepping back, the WindClan tom dipped his head to a black she-cat. "Would you like to go next, Ravenstar?"

Nodding, the she-cat stepped forward. "ThunderClan is thriving this moon. Prey is plentiful, and things have been peaceful. However, we did scent a fox in our territory a few sunrises ago. It seemed to be heading in the direction of ShadowClan's territory, so I would keep an eye out, Bramblestar."

Bramblestar dipped his head. "Thank you for the warning," he meowed, before stepping forward. "There is not much to report for ShadowClan. The only news we have is that Honeyleaf has taken on a new apprentice, named Willowpaw."

"Willowpaw! Willowpaw! Willowpaw!" As the cats cheered, Willowpaw ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Everyone is staring at me," she whispered to him as she shuffled her paws on the ground.

Ripplepaw flattened his ears to his head. _The same thing is going to happen to me!_ He realized. The silver tom leaped to his paws, before pushing his way through the crowed. He wanted to make his way back to camp, before Morningstar could announce his apprenticeship to Nightsky.

Just as he was above to dive into a clump of bracken, Morningstar yowled, "RiverClan also has a new medicine cat apprentice, named Ripplepaw."

Ripplepaw froze. Suddenly, he could feel the gaze of every Clan cat burning into his pelt. As they stared, he could feel his chest and throat tightening up.

"Congratulations!" a black-and-white tom said to him.

The apprentice flattened his ears to his head, too stunned to speak. Then, he darted into the bracken and raced in the direction of camp. As he ran, his chest tightened up, making it impossible for him to breath. Plopping down onto the ground, Ripplepaw sat there trying to catch his breath.

As he lay there, the undergrowth around him rustled. Finally, Willowpaw stepped out. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. "Where are you going?" she demanded, taking a seat beside him.

"Home," he spat, looking away from her.

"But why?" Willowpaw wondered, her tail tip twitching slightly.

"I just don't want to go to the stupid Gathering, all right?" Ripplepaw growled, standing to his paws. As he limped down the slope that lead to the Twoleg bridge, he could feel Willowpaw's gaze burning into his pelt.

"I hope we can see each other again. Goodnight!" she called out, before turning and padding back to Fourtrees.

* * *

By the time Ripplepaw reached camp, he felt sick to his stomach.

"You're back early," Rainfall commented. "Is everything okay? Did a fight break out?"

He shook his head. "I'm just not feeling very well," he muttered, making his way towards the medicine cats den. As he curled up in his nest, he heard the entrance rustle. Looking up, he saw Nightsky standing there. The black she-cat's amber eyes were blazing with fury.

"I am very disappointed in you," she snarled, stalking up to him.

"You're always disappointed in me," Ripplepaw retorted.

"I am trying to do you a favor," Nightsky continued, ignoring him. "But you clearly don't want my help. Honestly, I think I'm just wasting my time with you."

Ripplepaw flattened his ears to his head. "You're right. I don't need your help, and I never wanted it! You're the one who forced me into this stupid position, despite the fact I didn't even want it. And you keep telling me it's to protect me, but from what? Maybe if you told me what you were so worried about, I would understand!"

Nightsky stared at him for a few moments, before taking a deep breath. "You want to know what your fate is?" she spat. "Very well." The black she-cat began to circle him, the fur along her spine bristling. "You walk a very dark path, Ripplepaw. StarClan has told me you're destined to destroy RiverClan."

Ripplepaw stared at her, in shock. He then narrowed his eyes before hissing, "You're just making this up because you don't like me! I would never do anything to hurt RiverClan. I love my Clan, and I would do anything to protect it. I can't believe you would say that about me." Before Nightsky could say anything more, he turned and fled.

Despite the tight feeling in his chest, Ripplepaw ran as far as he could. With every stride, his lungs burned for air, but he continued on. Finally, he stumbled under a beech tree. Glancing up, he decided to hide up in the tree for the night.

Gathering his strength, he slowly clawed his way up the trunk of the tree, before curling up on one of its branches. As he caught his breath, he gazed out across the territory. There was still blackened patches of ground around the RiverClan camp, from where the fire had been.

 _I should just run away,_ he thought. _No one likes me anyway._ The young tom felt tears well up in his eyes as he thought about what Nightsky had told him. _Why would she say such a thing to me? I would never do anything to hurt another cat!_ As he thought about his mentor, a surge of anger rose up inside of him. _Except maybe her..._

* * *

 **Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I wanted to finish Extinction before I continued with this story, because I wanted to put all of my attention into it. Also, I am working on Allegiances for this story. They will be posted under the prologue, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested. And in case you're wondering, this story takes place about four or five years before SkyClan is driven out of the forest.**

 **As always, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ripplepaw spent the next few weeks ignoring his mentor. Every time Nightsky attempted to talk to him, he simply left the den or acted as if he didn't acknowledge her existence. Of course, this had made Nightsky furious on more than a few occasions, but Ripplepaw didn't care. His goal was to make her so angry, she would give up on training him.

"I want you to search Sootpelt for ticks," Nightsky ordered as she dropped a bundle of mouse-bile soaked moss in front of him.

Grimacing, Ripplepaw picked up the moss and carried it out of the den. After making sure Nightsky wasn't watching him, he tossed it into the reeds before slipping out of camp. Sniffing the air, he tried to catch scent of his sister.

For the past few days, he had been sneaking out of camp to watch Minnowpaw train. He wanted to learn every battle move he could, just in case. When he reached the training clearing, he ducked down into the reeds and watched his sister train.

"Never expose your belly. It's the most vulnerable spot on a cat, besides the throat of course," Briarpelt explained. "Now, let me see your leap-and-hold."

Minnowpaw nodded, before leaping onto Briarpelt's back. The large tom tried to shake her off, but Minnowpaw held on the best she could. As Ripplepaw watched, he did his best to memorize the move. After a few minutes, he decided this move would be no use for him in the future. _By the time I'm full grown, I'll be way too big to use this move on Nightsky._ His eyes then widened in surprise. _Wait, what? I would never attack Nightsky!_

The medicine cat apprentice tried to shake the thought from his head, but he couldn't. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he wanted to give Nightsky a couple of scars she wouldn't forget. _And maybe I could take a life or two from Morningstar. That would show her not to mess with me! Wait, no. I don't mean that either!_

Ripplepaw began to shake uncontrollably. It felt as if intrusive thoughts were being forced into his head. He didn't want to hurt any cat, not even Nightsky. While he hated his mentor deeply, the idea of hurting her made him sick to his stomach.

"Ripplepaw?" Minnowpaw asked, a concerned look plastered across her pretty face. "What's wrong?"

Ripplepaw blinked at her. "I..." he trailed off, lost for words. He couldn't possibly tell his sister what he had been thinking about. Minnowpaw would hate him for sure, and he couldn't have that! Besides his parents, Minnowpaw was the only cat he truly cared about.

"What are you doing here?" Briarpelt questioned as he walked up. The tom's eyes were narrowed suspiciously as he stared at the medicine cat apprentice. "Shouldn't you be gathering herbs or something?"

The fur along Ripplepaw's spine began to bristle. "I just wanted to learn some battle moves. Is that so wrong?" he growled, digging his claws into the ground.

"No." Briarpelt stiffened slightly, his tail tip twitching back and forth. Looking at Minnowpaw he ordered, "Let's get back to training. There's a new move I want to teach you."

Minnowpaw hesitated for a few seconds, before following after her mentor. "I'll see you later!" she called out to her brother.

Ripplepaw sighed, before heading back to camp. _I hope Briarpelt doesn't say anything to Nightsky._ _Otherwise she'll force some cat to look after me_. As he slipped back into camp, he began searching for his moss from earlier. _Where is it?_ He thought, growing irritated.

"Looking for this?" Nightsky growled.

Spinning around, Ripplepaw saw his mentor standing there. The mouse-bile soaked moss was hanging in her jaws. As she spit it out, she pushed it over to him.

"Get to work," she ordered, flicking her tail back towards the elders den. "And when you're done, I want you to report back to my den immediately. If I catch you doing something else, you will be in serious trouble. Is that understood?" Nightsky's amber eyes were blazing with fury as she stared at him.

Ripplepaw puffed out his chest, trying to make himself seem bigger. He stared into her eyes for a few minutes, before grabbing the moss and stalking away. As he slipped into the elders den, a horrible stench hit his nose. _It smells worse than dung in here!_ Ripplepaw thought, wrinkling his nose. _Does this old fleabag even wash his pelt?_

"Finally. I've been waiting for you forever," Sootpelt rasped. "I have two ticks on the back of my head, and then a few more on my back and stomach. Oh, and I think-"

"I'll find them," Ripplepaw grumbled, searching through Sootpelt's fur. As soon as he spotted one, he picked up the moss and began to dab at the tick. After a few minutes, it fell off. Gently, Ripplepaw placed it onto the ground where he smashed it with his claw.

"Be sure you pull their head out," the elder told him. "The last apprentice to clean my pelt did a horrible job. But I guess that's to be expected. Young cats these days don't know how to do anything right. Back in my day, we got punished for slacking off. And when I say punished, I mean we were given a couple of scars we'd never forget!"

 _I don't care!_ Ripplepaw thought, annoyed. As he worked, Sootpelt continued to babble on about how lazy the younger generation was. _I wish I could give_ him _a few scars he'd never forget!_

When he was done, the silver tom sat back. "I'm finished. Now if you'll excuse me..."

"Wait!" Sootpelt called out, causing Ripplepaw to pause in his tracks.

"What do you want now?" he hissed.

"Do you think you could clean me for fleas? I've been itching like crazy for the past moon, and I can't take it anymore!" the elder mewed.

Ripplepaw rolled his eyes, before stalking back over to the old tom's side. As soon as he was done, he raced out of the den before Sootpelt could request anything else.

As he crossed the clearing, the only thing on his mind was the lecture Nightsky would be giving him. _I already know what she's going to tell me, but I don't care._ Squeezing into the den, he turned and faced her. "I'm done," he reported.

Nightsky looked up from the pile of chickweed she was sorting. "Thank you," she purred.

"You don't have anything else to tell me?" he wondered, surprised that she hadn't yelled at him.

Nightsky was thoughtful for a few moments. "Not that I can think of... Oh! Yes, that's right. Tonight is the half-moon, meaning we need to go to Highstones to share tongues with StarClan."

Ripplepaw blinked. "Do I have to go?" he wondered.

She nodded. "It's very important that you go, as this will be the night StarClan accepts you as my apprentice."

"I'll be meeting StarClan?" he echoed, growing slightly uncomfortable. "What if they don't come to visit me?"

A panicked look crossed his mentor's face. "If they don't come to you, simply lie and say they did."

"You want me to _lie_?" the apprentice exclaimed, shocked that she would even suggest such a thing.

Nightsky sighed. "Yes, I want you to lie. Otherwise, the other Clans will know RiverClan is weak. If something were to ever happen to me, you're all this Clan has left. If the other medicine cats know StarClan doesn't accept you, our entire Clan would be doomed." Nightsky's amber eyes then widened, as if she had thought of something. "We must never let that happen, is that understood?"

Ripplepaw's heart began to beat wildly in his chest. "Y-Yes," he stammered.

"Good. Now let's get going." As Nightsky padded out of camp, Ripplepaw slowly followed behind her. With every step he took, his paws felt as if they were made of stone. Suddenly, the job of a medicine cat felt even harder than he had ever imagined.

* * *

By the time they reached the moorlands, the sun was beginning to set in the sky. As he climbed up the steep hills, he could feel his chest tighten. "I need to stop to catch my breath," he called out.

Nightsky nodded, taking a seat. As Ripplepaw caught his breath, the heather began to rustle. Looking up, he saw an elderly gray she-cat step out.

"Greetings, Breezetail!" Nightsky purred, dipping her head.

Breezetail returned the gesture. "Hello, Nightsky." Looking over at Ripplepaw, the WindClan medicine cat wondered, "Is this the young Ripplepaw I've heard so much about? It's very nice to meet you."

Ripplepaw slowly dipped his head. "Nice to meet you, too," he meowed quietly. Looking at Nightsky he said, "I've caught my breath now. Let's go."

As the three cats crossed the moorland, Ripplepaw noticed that Breezetail would glance over at him every once and a while. Finally she asked, "You were the kit that got injured in the fire, weren't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that was me."

Breezetail gave him a sympathetic look. "You poor thing. I imagine you were terrified."

"Yeah," he mumbled, not interested in making a conversation. Breezetail must have noticed, for she didn't say anything more. As they made their way towards the Thunderpath, Ripplepaw's mind was filled with thoughts about StarClan. _I don't want to be a medicine cat, but at the same time I don't want to be rejected,_ he thought. _I especially don't want to lie._

When they reached the Thunderpath, Ripplepaw only felt more stressed out. Due to the condition of his breathing, he was worried he wouldn't be able to make it across. "What do we do?" he asked.

"Wait for a gap, and then run as fast as you can," Nightsky told him. As they padded up to the edge of the Thunderpath, Ripplepaw could tell the two older cats were just as nervous as he was.

As soon as a gap appeared, Breezetail raced out onto the Thunderpath. Ripplepaw and Nightsky sprang after her, each running as fast as they could. As he made his way across, the young tom could feel the hard stone digging into his sensitive paw pads. Once or twice, he could feel a sharp stone digging into his paws, cutting them.

Finally, they made it to the other side. As Ripplepaw sat down to catch his breath, he looked down at his paws. His front left paw was cut and bleeding, while the rest seemed to be all right. "I got hurt," he meowed, gingerly holding up his paw.

Nightsky sniffed at his paw. "You'll be fine," she concluded, before glancing up at Highstones. "We still have plenty of time left, so I say we should stop and rest for a while. After all, we still have to wait for Acornleaf, Bumblebee, and Honeyleaf."

"Don't worry, I'm here!" a voice called out.

Ripplepaw looked over to see a yellow tabby padding up the slope towards them. Just behind her, a small brown tabby followed after her.

"I would have been here sooner, but Fawnpaw and I lost track of time while gathering herbs," the she-cat apologized, dipping her head.

"Don't worry about it, Bumblebee. There's still plenty of time before we have to go into Mothermouth," Breezetail reassured her. As the elderly WindClan medicine cat sprawled out across a boulder she added, "Besides, my old bones need a quick rest."

Bumblebee's eyes gleamed. "Speaking of your bones, how have you been lately? Did you try out that ointment I was telling you about?"

Breezetail nodded. "I did, but it didn't seem to do anything for me. I think I'm just too old to be trekking across the moor and back every day. I should have taken an apprentice long ago, back when Flowerspot's kits were still young."

"There's always Mottleflower's kits," Bumblebee pointed out.

Breezetail let out a low growl. "I suppose, but I'm not sure I can last long enough to train an apprentice. I'm ready to retire!" The elderly she-cat let out a wheezy laugh, before coughing. "There's that darn cough again. I feel like there's something stuck in my throat!"

As the two medicine cats chatted, Ripplepaw tuned out. Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his eye. In the distance, he could see three cats heading in their direction. As they got closer, he recognized Willowpaw and Acornleaf.

"The other medicine cats are coming!" he called out.

"Finally," Nightsky murmured, flicking her tail back and forth anxiously.

"Greetings!" Acornleaf called out as she neared. "I hope you haven't been waiting for us too long."

"You're just on time," Nightsky told them. Glancing up at the sky she meowed, "Shall we get going?"

"I'm ready when you are," Honeyleaf told her, before padding in the direction of Mothermouth.

As Ripplepaw and the other medicine cats followed after her, his stomach churned nervously. He tried to convince himself that there was nothing to worry about, but the fear remained. Slowly, he slipped into the dark and cold tunnel. As he walked, he could feel the long and winding tunnels begin to slope downwards, and every so often he thought he heard the sound of crumbling stone and dust.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Fawnpaw whispered to him.

"I'm not scared," he lied, before quickening his pace the best he could. _What if the tunnel splits off, and I get lost?_ He panicked. To his relief, he thought he spotted a small opening up ahead.

Finally, he felt the tunnel open up into a large cavern. In the middle, he could see a large stone sticking up from the ground.

"I thought the moonlight was supposed to make it shiny," Willowpaw commented, looking disappointed.

"It will," Honeyleaf told her, before glancing up at the hole in the ceiling. As if on queue, the moon moved over the hole, before being reflected off the Moonstone. Suddenly, the entire cavern was illuminated in bright light.

Gulping, Ripplepaw padded over to the Moonstone. As he curled up beside it, Nightsky whispered into his ear, "Remember what I told you."

He nodded, before leaning forward to touch the stone with his nose. To his surprise, nothing happened. As he looked over the other medicine cats, he saw they were already fast asleep. _Why haven't I fallen asleep?_ He wondered, growing concerned. _Maybe I didn't do it right._ Leaning forward once more, he touched his nose to the Moonstone, but he still didn't fall asleep. Finally after several failed attempts, Ripplepaw felt his eyelids droop, before falling asleep.

* * *

"Wake up," Nightsky hissed, poking him in the ribs.

Ripplepaw let out an annoyed groan, before sitting up. His entire body ached from the cold, and his head was pounding. Suddenly, he realized that his dreams had been silent. _They've rejected me!_ He thought, his heart beat quickening.

"StarClan visited me. It was amazing!" Willowpaw chirped, her eyes shining.

As the young she-cat opened her mouth to say more, Honeyleaf stopped her. "I know it's exciting, but you're not supposed to share your dream with any other cat. What you dreamed is between you and StarClan." The golden medicine cat then looked over at Ripplepaw. "Well, what about you? Did StarClan visit you as well?

The silver tom awkwardly nodded his head. "Er... yeah," he lied, his voice cracking slightly. "It was definitely a great experience."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nightsky frown. Suddenly she said, "I think we should get going. Ripplepaw and I have a lot of work to do today!" Before any cat could object, Nightsky nudged her apprentice in the direction of the tunnel. Quickly, they raced down the winding paths, before emerging outside of Mothermouth.

"You were rejected, weren't you?" Nightsky demanded, her eyes full of fear.

Ripplepaw flattened his ears to his head. "Yes," he admitted, looking down at his paws. As they padded down the slope towards the Thunderpath he added, "Surely this is enough proof for you that I'm not supposed to be a medicine cat?"

Nightsky spun around to face him. "You're going to be a medicine cat, whether you like it or not." Before he could say anything else, the black she-cat turned and raced across the Thunderpath, leaving Ripplepaw alone.

* * *

 **Wow, thank you for all of the reviews! I love hearing what my readers have to say, so it means a lot to me. I have to say, I feel very bad for Ripplepaw. Not only was he forced into something he doesn't want to do, but now he has the burden of knowing he was rejected by StarClan. This will only make adjusting to his position much harder. As for Nightsky, my lips are sealed. You will just have to wait to see whether or not Ripplepaw kills her. And to answer Crazy Fennec Fox's question, I honestly don't think he will be around to see SkyClan be exiled. He will see several of the leaders from that time period come to reign, though.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 _What a jerk!_ Ripplepaw thought angrily, his tail lashing back and forth. Sighing, he began to climb down the street slope. Since Nightsky had abandoned him, he would have to figure out how to cross the Thunderpath himself.

Right as he was about to race out onto the black path, Willowpaw's voice sounded. "Wait!" she cried out, before climbing down the slope after him. When she reached his side, the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice asked, "Is everything all right?"

Ripplepaw flattened his ears to his head. "Not really, but why do you care?"

Willowpaw flinched, before letting out a sigh. "You just look like you need a friend, is all." After glancing over her shoulder, she turned back towards him. Lowering her voice she asked, "Do you think you could meet me at Fourtrees tomorrow night?"

He stared at her as if she had grown an extra head. "Why?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"I want to talk to you, alone." Willowpaw glanced over her shoulder once again. When she spotted her mentor at the top of the rise, she let out an annoyed hiss.

"Come on, Willowpaw!" Honeyleaf called out.

Willowpaw nodded. "Just a second!" she told Honeyleaf. "Just think about it, okay?" Before Ripplepaw could say anything, the ShadowClan she-cat turned and followed after her mentor.

Sighing, Ripplepaw turned back towards the Thunderpath. He waited until there was a large gap between monsters, before racing out onto the hard stone path. His sore paw pad stung as he ran, but he couldn't stop to tend to it. When he reached the other side, he sat down on the ground and began to lick at his wound.

His mind then wandered to Willowpaw. _What could she possibly want to talk to me about?_ He wondered. _Perhaps she overheard what Nightsky said?_ The fur along his spine began to bristle at that thought. He couldn't allow the other Clans to know StarClan had rejected him! If they found out, the other Clans would know RiverClan was weak. _I don't want to be the reason my Clan falls apart,_ Ripplepaw thought. As he sat there, he felt tears well up in his eyes.

 _What if cats die because of me?_ The horrible nightmare he had experienced all those moons appeared in his mind. Pushing the thought away, he gathered himself and began the long walk home. Every so often, he glanced over at the barn off in the distance. _It would be so easy to just run away,_ he realized. Shaking his head, he continued home. Despite everything he was going through, he couldn't abandon RiverClan. He loved his family too much to hurt them, and he knew if he disappeared they would be heartbroken.

* * *

By the time he arrived back at camp, the sun was setting in the distance. His entire body was so sore, and his stomach was growling with hunger. As he made his way over to the fresh-kill pile, Splashflower padded up to him.

"You look exhausted," his mother commented, giving him a lick on the ear.

"I am," he replied, before picking up a trout. As he padded over the far end of the clearing, his mother followed after him. She gently placed a paw on his forehead, while looking concerned.

"I think you're overworking yourself. Maybe you should take a break from your duties?" Splashflower whispered.

"Nightsky would never let me take a break," he growled as he swallowed a bite of his fish. "She won't even let me quit training as her apprentice!" Sitting up, he kicked his fish, sending it flying across the clearing.

His mother stared at him in shock. "Do you want to talk about it?" she whispered, glancing towards the camp entrance. When he nodded, the two cats scurried out of camp. They walked in silence, until Splashflower reached the Twoleg bridge. Crouching down in a clump of ferns she meowed, "Tell me what's going on."

Ripplepaw shuffled his paws on the ground. _Should I tell her what happened at the Moonstone?_ He wondered. Before he could even think about what he was doing, the words began to flow freely from his mouth. "I hate Nightsky so much! She's the worst mentor in the history of the Clans, and I can't stand it anymore. This entire time, she's done nothing but treat me like I'm her slave. Not to mention, she won't even let me quit this stupid position, not even after being rejected by StarClan. That's right, I was rejected by StarClan, meaning they don't even see me as a proper medicine cat! But does she care? No. She forced me to lie to all the other cats at the Moonstone, and she's going to force me to lie for the rest of my life." Ripplepaw's entire body was shaking as he finished up.

In one swift movement, Splashflower pulled him closer to her. "My poor kitten," she whispered gently, giving him a lick on top of the head. "My poor, poor, kitten." Pulling back, she looked him in the eye. "Do you want me to talk to Morningstar about this?"

Ripplepaw growled. "That won't do anything. She forced me into this stupid position too!"

Splashflower let out a sigh. "I wish there was something I could do. Oh, if only I were leader of RiverClan. I'd make you into a warriors apprentice before Nightsky could blink!" The fur along his mother's spine began to bristle as she muttered, "I really thought Nightsky was different, but I suppose the rumors were right."

He blinked at her. "What rumors?"

His mother hesitated for a moment, as if she weren't sure she should tell him. Finally she said, "Nightsky has always been a bit infamous among our Clan. She always seemed to be slacking off, or doing things she wasn't supposed to be doing. Her reputation didn't get any better after Amberdawn died. Morningstar blamed their mother's death on Nightsky, which only caused the rift between the two to grow bigger."

"How did Amberdawn die?" he wondered. _Maybe I can use this information to get back at her!_

"She died from a wound received in battle," his mother explained.

"Do you think Nightsky could have saved her?" Ripplepaw asked, growing excited. _I can't wait to use this to my advantage_ , he thought.

Splashflower slowly nodded her head. "If I'm going to be honest with you, I do think she could have done more. I don't think she understood how serious treating Amberdawn was, until the last moment. If she had acted sooner, perhaps Sootpelt wouldn't be alone in the elders den." Before Ripplepaw could ask any more questions, Splashflower stood up. "We should head back to camp now. It's getting dark, and I don't want to run into any foxes or badgers."

Nodding, he trotted after his mother. The entire walk home, his mind buzzed with the information he had been given. When they reached camp, he raced straight for the medicine cats den. Inside, Nightsky was shaking the dust from her nest.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, her eyes filled with worry.

 _Oh, so you finally care about me? You faker!_ "Out." Padding over to his nest, Ripplepaw took a seat.

"Next time be sure to come back earlier," Nightsky told him.

Ripplepaw's ear twitched. "You know what would be bad?" he asked, grinning slightly.

"What?"

"It would be absolutely terrible if we lost one of our Clanmates due to battle wounds, wouldn't it?" Nightsky stiffened, which caused Ripplepaw's grin to grow wider. "It would be even worse if they died from completely treatable wounds, kind of like Amberdawn did."

"How do you know about that?" Nightsky growled, her fur bristling.

"I have my ways," Ripplepaw meowed, standing to his paws.

"Well, don't bring it up any more. Is that understood?" the medicine cat demanded, her amber eyes blazing with fury.

"Why don't you want to talk about it? Are you afraid to admit you're a terrible medicine cat who couldn't even save her own mother's life?" Before Ripplepaw could say anymore, Nightsky lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. The impact knocked the breath out of the young tom, who sat there gasping for breathing. Looking up, he saw that Nightsky was about to leap on him again. Fast as a fish, Ripplepaw rolled out of the way, before leaping onto her back. The two medicine cats wrestled on the ground for a few moments, shrieking and yowling. Suddenly, Ripplepaw was thrown off.

The silver tom quickly raced for the den entrance, where he glanced back at Nightsky. A trickle of blood ran down from her shoulder, and her eye was swollen shut. "Get out of here," she groaned, before turning and limping towards the back of the den.

Sighing, Ripplepaw padded out of the den. When he reached the far end of the camp, he sat down to lick his wounds. Nightsky had given him a nasty bite on the tail, and his shoulder stung from a scratch she had inflicted.

Suddenly, a mouse was thrown down in front of him. Looking up, Ripplepaw saw that Nightsky was standing there. The black she-cat had a pained expression on her face, and she was flicking her tail back and forth. "I'm sorry," she meowed bluntly, not meeting his gaze. "I hope this mouse could make up for it."

Ripplepaw licked his lips, before leaning down to take a bite. As he bit into the mouse, a strange flavor filled his mouse. He quickly spit the mouse out, before gazing down at it. To his surprise, several scarlet berries were stuffed into the mouse's stomach. Before Nightsky could say anything, the silver apprentice leaped to his paws and raced for the river. Ripplepaw began to frantically gulp down river water, hoping to wash all traces of deathberry from his mouth.

As he drank, he could hear the reeds behind him rustling. Spinning around, Ripplepaw unsheathed his claws. "You tried to poison me!" he cried out, his entire body shaking.

"It's for the good of the Clan," Nightsky muttered, her amber eyes dull. "You're a monster, Ripplepaw. I'm just trying to save the Clan before it's too late."

" _I'm_ the monster? You're the one who just tried to poison an apprentice!" Ripplepaw's blue eyes blazed with fury as he pushed past Nightsky. "I'm telling Morningstar," he threatened.

"Tell her. She won't believe you!" Nightsky hissed.

Rolling his eyes, Ripplepaw made his way back to camp. Once he arrived, he marched straight in the direction of his leader's den. Without warning, Ripplepaw pushed his way into the den and began shaking Morningstar awake.

"What's going on?" Morningstar grumbled, slowly sitting up. "Is ThunderClan attacking?"

"Nightsky tried to poison me," Ripplepaw cried out.

"What?" the leader gasped, leaping to her paws.

"Nightsky tried to poison me," he repeated. "If you don't do something about her, she's going to kill me. Please help me!" Ripplepaw lashed his tail back and forth as he stared at his leader. _Say something all ready!_ He thought irritably, digging his claws into the ground.

Finally, Morningstar let out a sigh. "I'm sure it was a misunderstanding," she meowed, curling up in her nest.

Ripplepaw's neck fur began to bristle. "A misunderstanding? I think I know deathberries when I see them! Besides, Nightsky even admitted to it! She said I was a monster, and that my death would be best for RiverClan. How can you allow her to get away with something like this?" He stared at his leader, hoping she would do something.

To his annoyance, Nightsky padded into the den. "I did try to poison him," she confessed, "but I did it for the good of the Clan. Morningstar, you have no idea what this cat is capable of. I thought by taking him in as my apprentice, he could be saved. However, it's clear that nothing I do can save him." Turning to look at Ripplepaw she growled, "You walk a dark path."

Morningstar's eyes widened as she stared at her sister. The dark tortoiseshell then looked back at Ripplepaw. "I need some time to think," she whispered.

A growl rose up in his throat. "Fine." He then turned and padded towards the entrance. There, he paused and looked back at Nightsky. The black she-cat had a blank expression on her face, which angered him. _She tried to murder me, and she isn't even remorseful!_ Huffing, he stormed out of the den and into the clearing.

* * *

 **Nightsky is truly terrible, isn't she? Morningstar isn't doing herself a favor, either. So far, she's done nothing but prove she's a weak leader. Do you think things will be different this time around, or do you think Morningstar will make another major mistake? I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thank you for all of the reviews! I can't wait to see what you all have to say about this chapter.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ripplepaw paced across the clearing as he waited for Morningstar's decision. Every once and a while, he thought he heard shouting coming from the leaders den. _Nightsky deserves to be exiled,_ he thought bitterly. As he continued to pace across the clearing, his body began to ache with fatigue. He had been going all day, and tonights events didn't help.

Finally, he spotted Morningstar slip out of her den. "I'm ready," she told him, before walking back inside. As Ripplepaw followed her, his stomach churned nervously. As he took a seat, he glanced over at the medicine cat. A frown was plastered on the medicine cats face, which gave him hope.

"Are you going to exile her?" Ripplepaw asked, a flicker of hope rising up in his chest. To his disappointment, Morningstar shook her head.

"I can't," she sighed. "Nightsky is our Clans only medicine cat. If you were older and more experienced, things would be different. But for now, I can't risk putting my Clan in danger by exiling her." Morningstar glanced over at her sister before adding, "However, I am banning Nightsky from all Gatherings and medicine cat meetings for the next four moons."

Ripplepaw stared at his leader, shocked. "She tried to _murder_ me, and you're giving her the same punishment you would give to an apprentice who ate while on patrol! If she's willing to poison me, she's willing to do anything. Morningstar, can't you see she's a danger to this entire Clan? Nightsky isn't sane!"

Morningstar frowned. "I wish I could do more, but for now I can't."

"Fine," he growled, standing to his paws. "Put the entire Clan at risk! See if I care." The silver tom stormed over to the entrance of the den. Right as he was about to walk out, Ripplepaw turned to face them. "Oh, and one more thing. I quit being the medicine cat apprentice, whether the two of you like it or not." And with that, he left the den.

Immediately, he padded over to the apprentices den. Inside, his sister was curled up in her nest. Quietly, he walked over to her nest and curled up beside her. As their fur brushed, memories of his time as a kit came flooding back. _Those were simpler times,_ he thought sadly, longing for the days where his only worry was what story his mother would tell him at bedtime.

"Ripplepaw?" Minnowpaw rasped, slowly blinking her eyes open. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'll explain everything tomorrow. Just go back to sleep," Ripplepaw whispered, before giving his sister a lick on the ear. Minnowpaw let out a small purr, before closing her eyes once more. The two siblings laid there for a while, before both falling asleep.

* * *

When Ripplepaw awoke the next day, the sky was dark. _I've slept all day!_ He realized with a jolt. Slowly, he sat up and began to lick his ruffled fur. Glancing down, he saw a plump mouse sitting close by. Carefully, he began to pull the mouse apart to make sure it hadn't been poisoned. After making sure his prey was clean, Ripplepaw began to devour the mouse. Now full, the silver tom pushed his way out into the clearing. Since it was so late, most of the warriors had retreated into their dens for the night.

 _Should I go meet with Willowpaw?_ He wondered. Suddenly, a smirk spread across his face. _I guess it wouldn't hurt. After all, I have nothing to lose._ As he slipped out of camp, he couldn't wait to tell Willowpaw that he had been rejected by StarClan. _Perhaps then ShadowClan will attack us, and Nightsky will be killed!_

As he neared Fourtrees, Ripplepaw paused to scent the air. To his disappointment, he couldn't scent any new scents. Cautiously, he padded down the slope and into the clearing. To his disappointment, Willowpaw was no where to be found. _She probably stood me up,_ Ripplepaw thought with annoyance.

As he turned to head home, a voice called out, "Don't leave!"

Spinning around, the RiverClan tom saw Willowpaw push her way through the undergrowth, before pausing in front of him. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long. I had trouble sneaking out of camp." As she spoke, her amber eyes gleamed with amusement.

Ripplepaw flicked an ear. "I just got here. Now what do you want to talk to me about?"

"I just want to know if everything is all right. You seem troubled, and I want to help you," the brown tabby she-cat meowed. "I promise I'll keep everything you tell me a secret."

Ripplepaw hesitated for a few heartbeats, before sighing. "You're right – I am troubled. You see, it's Nightsky. Apparently, StarClan gave her a prophecy saying I'll grow up to destroy RiverClan. Now Nightsky is convinced I'm a monster, and the only way I'll change is if I be her apprentice. The thing is, I don't want to be a medicine cat. I especially don't want to be the medicine cat under Nightsky. She's a terrible cat, and I can't stand her anymore. Just yesterday, she tried to poison me!"

Willowpaw's eyes widened. "She tried to _poison_ you? Please tell me you're kidding..."

He shook his head. "I wish. She tricked me into eating a mouse stuffed with deathberries. Luckily I spit the berries out before it was too late."

"That's terrible. I can't believe she would do something like that to you. I don't care what StarClan says, you don't seem like a monster to me. I know we don't really know each other, but from what I've seen you're very nice. I think with the right mentor, you would love being a medicine cat. After all, it's your destiny. StarClan wouldn't have accepted you if you weren't supposed to succeed Nightsky," Willowpaw said, trying to cheer her up.

"About that..." he muttered, flattening his ears to his head. "I wasn't accepted by StarClan. In fact, they didn't even come to me at all."

"But you said-"

"Nightsky forced me to lie," Ripplepaw told her.

Willowpaw was silent for a few minutes as she proceed everything that had been told to her. "This is really bad," she whispered, unable to meet his gaze. "You're not safe in RiverClan at all. Perhaps I should tell Honeyleaf what's going on. I'm sure she could do something to help you."

"I don't think Honeyleaf would be able to do anything," Ripplepaw sighed.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Willowpaw let out a sigh. "This is probably a stupid question, but are you going to continue training as a medicine cats apprentice?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"I understand. After all, it's for your own good. You're not safe with Nightsky. I'm really going to miss training with you though," Willowpaw meowed. The ShadowClan she-cat glanced up at the sky, before standing to her paws. "I should probably head home now. Thank you for coming here, Ripplepaw. I'm so sorry that you're going through this. If you ever need a friend, just know I'm here for you."

Ripplepaw dipped his head to her. "Thanks," he said, before heading in the direction of his own camp. As he walked home, something inside of him changed. The young tom suddenly felt the strong urge to continue training as a medicine cat. He wasn't sure whether it was because of Willowpaw, or because of Nightsky. _RiverClan isn't safe under her care_ , he thought. _If she's willing to poison me, who knows what else she's doing? I've got to do something to stop her, but what?_

Once he reached camp, Ripplepaw headed in the direction of Nightsky's den. The black she-cat was fast asleep in her nest. He quickly padded over to her, before prodding her in the ribs. "Wake up," he ordered, before taking a step back.

Nightsky leaped to her paws, before turning to face him. "What?" she growled, her neck fur bristling.

"I've been thinking about it, and I'm sorry," he lied. _If I don't apologize, she'll never train me._ "And I want to continue being your apprentice. With my breathing the way it is, I'll never be able to be a proper warrior. Besides, I've already learned so much. There's no point in throwing everything I've learned away, when I can make good use out of it." The fur along his spine bristled as he spoke, but he did his best to remain calm and friendly.

Nightsky's expression softened. "I'm glad you've finally come around. I knew I'd rub off on you sooner or later!"

 _Don't get so cocky,_ he thought bitterly. "Er... yeah. Anyways, what do you say?"

"Of course I'll continue to train you." Nightsky padded over to him and nuzzled him. "Now get some rest. I want to gather some borage tomorrow."

* * *

 **I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've had a lot going on this past week. I'll try my best to update again sometime this week. If not, expect an update during the weekend. Also, I would once again like to thank you all for all the reviews. I love to see what you all think of the story as well as the characters. One more thing I would like to mention: I don't know if I ever talked about this before, but I'm planning on writing a series of one-shots based on my stories Rising Storm and Extinction. These one-shots will focus on several different things from those stories, such as the Tribe after the Clans left, Sorrelstripe joining ShadowClan, Blizzard's past, and much more. I'm not sure when it will be posted, but I just thought I'd share for those of you who are interested in those stories.**

 **Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Ripplepaw pushed his way through the reeds, a bundle of borage hanging from his jaws. The young tom had spent all morning gathering herbs with his mentor. As he listened to her chattering on like a starling, Ripplepaw flattened his ears to his head. _Does she ever shut up?_

"Come look at this leaf!" Nightsky called, her eyes gleaming like an excited kit.

Sighing, Ripplepaw set the borage down and trotted over to where Nightsky was standing. The black she-cat flicked her tail towards a small bush. One of the leaves vaguely resembled a cat. "Isn't that so neat?" she purred, plucking the leaf off the bush.

A low growl rose in Ripplepaw's throat. "We don't have time for this," he reminded her. "We're supposed to be gathering herbs."

Nightsky gave him an annoyed look. "Cheer up, would you? There's no harm in having fun!"

"We're medicine cats," he said. "Our job isn't to have fun. It's to gather herbs and protect our Clanmates." _Alderpelt should have never picked Nightsky as his apprentice!_ _She's such an air head, and she can't do anything right._ Ripplepaw thought angrily.

"Since when do you care about being a medicine cat?" Nightsky snapped, rolling her eyes. Before he could answer, she stalked over to some herbs she had gathered earlier. Picking them up, Nightsky headed in the direction of camp.

Ripplepaw slowly followed after her. While he hated his job, he couldn't stand the idea of Nightsky being responsible for the entire Clan. She had tried to poison him. Who knew how many other cats she had attempted to kill before? Or how many cats she had _successfully_ killed? _I'm the only cat who can protect RiverClan from Nightsky_ , Ripplepaw thought, narrowing his eyes at his mentor.

When they reached camp, the two cats began to sort out the herbs they had gathered. As they worked, Ripplepaw noticed Brambletail was heading towards them. The she-cat had a worried expression on her face. "What's wrong?" he called out, standing to his paws.

"It's Frogkit," Brambletail confessed. "He has a bad bellyache, and I don't know what to do for him."

"I'll-"

"Don't worry, I can handle this." Ripplepaw glared at Nightsky, before going to fetch the watermint from the den. After he had enough for the young kit, Ripplepaw followed Brambletail towards the nursery. Inside, Frogkit was hunched over in his nest, groaning. Reedkit stared at him worriedly.

"What's wrong with him?" she squeaked, blinking up at her mother.

"He has a bellyache," Brambletail responded, before nudging her son towards Ripplepaw. "He's brought you some medicine to make you feel better," she whispered to her kit.

Ripplepaw slowly placed the watermint down in front of Frogkit, before stepping back. "Make sure he eats all of it," he told the queen.

Brambletail nodded. Slowly, Frogkit began to chew on the herbs. As he ate, the little brown tom gagged. "It's so yucky," he complained, scrunching his nose up.

"It'll make you feel better," Ripplepaw explained. As he watched the kit swallow up the last of the watermint, his memories flooded back to his time in ThunderClan. _If only there was an herb to fix my breathing,_ the silver tom thought sadly.

As he padded back into his own den, he felt Nightsky's gaze burning into his pelt. "Good job!" she praised, her amber eyes shining.

"Yeah." Ripplepaw let out a grunt as he settled down in his nest. _If I hadn't of stepped in, you would have killed Frogkit!_

"I'm so glad you've changed your mind about being a medicine cat," Nightsky purred. "I always knew that I would be able to change your destiny."

The silver tom angrily clenched his teeth. _Stay calm!_ He couldn't allow himself to get mad at Nightsky, otherwise she would realize he was only faking and she would want to kill him again. "Yeah, me too," he muttered.

"I can tell you're going to be a wonderful medicine cat," Nightsky went on. "I bet you'll even be remembered for seasons to come!" To his surprise, Nightsky padded over to him and gave him a quick nuzzle. "I'm really sorry about the other day..." she apologized. "I-I just wanted to protect RiverClan, is all. My Clan means so much to me, and I couldn't bear the idea of them being destroyed."

Ripplepaw suppressed a growl. "I forgive you," he lied. He would _never_ forgive her, not in a million years! Nightsky didn't deserve his forgiveness after everything she had done to him. The only thing Nightsky deserved was to rot in the Dark Forest for all of eternity.

Nightsky smiled at him, completely unaware of any hostility. "Well, I'm going to take a quick nap. Wake me up if you need anything!" As she curled up in her nest, Ripplepaw slipped out into the clearing.

As he made his way over to the fresh-kill pile, a gentle breeze ruffled his long coat. In the distance, he could hear excited mews as cats splashed through the river, catching fish. _Maybe I should go watch them,_ Ripplepaw thought as he picked up a bass. As he pushed his way through the reeds, he could see his Clanmates swimming around like otters. _They're so lucky,_ he thought enviously as he settled down on the sandy river bank.

Ripplepaw leaned down to take a bite of his fish. As he ate, another breeze came by, blowing the familiar scent of ThunderClan towards him. At first, the medicine cat apprentice thought nothing of it. After all, it _was_ sunhigh. A ThunderClan patrol had probably just come by not too long ago. As he continued to eat, the scent grew stronger and stronger. Unable to ignore it any longer, Ripplepaw stood to his paws and looked into the forest on the opposite bank.

"I think something's going on," he called out to Puddlefur.

Puddlefur quickly climbed out onto the shore. "What?"

Ripplepaw flicked his tail towards the ThunderClan border. "I think something's going on," he repeatedly quietly.

Before Puddlefur could respond, Ravenstar leaped out of the undergrowth. "ThunderClan, attack!" she yowled, racing towards the stepping stones.

The RiverClan warriors quickly swam towards the stepping stones, hoping to knock the ThunderClan leader off. As they struggled to defend their home, Puddlefur turned to Ripplepaw. "Run back to camp to warn the others!"

Ripplepaw gulped, unsure he would make it back to camp in time. Without saying a word, the silver tom slipped through the reeds and began racing towards RiverClan's camp. As he ran, he could feel his chest tightening as his lungs struggled for air. Ripplepaw continued on, doing his best to ignore his screaming lungs. He had to reach RiverClan's camp before ThunderClan did!

Just as he was about to run into camp, Ripplepaw was knocked to the ground. Hissing, he rolled over onto his back. A large tabby apprentice stared down at Ripplepaw, his teeth barred in a snarl. "Looks like you're too slow, fish-face!" the ThunderClan apprentice taunted as he pinned Ripplepaw down.

Ripplepaw struggled under the apprentice, his chest burning. "I can't breathe," he choked out, hoping the ThunderClan tom would show him some compassion.

To his annoyance, the smug furball pressed down harder on his lungs. "Ha! You're so pathetic. Do RiverClan warriors even teach their apprentices anything? Besides lounging around and being fat, that is."

Ripplepaw let out a panicked cry, hoping someone would come to his rescue. Suddenly, Waveheart came crashing through the reeds, his green eyes full of fury. Before the ThunderClan apprentice could react, Waveheart pushed him off of Ripplepaw with a force so heavy, he was thrown to the ground. As the brown tabby apprentice struggled to his paws, Waveheart pinned him down. "Don't you ever come near my son again, is that understood?" he snarled.

The apprentice stared up at Waveheart, before nodding slowly. When Waveheart stepped off, the apprentice quickly stood to his paws and raced off through the reeds. Once he was gone, the large white warrior turned to face his son. "Are you okay?" he demanded, giving Ripplepaw a lick on the head.

Ripplepaw nodded slowly as he struggled to catch his breath. "Yeah, just give me a minute." Once he had caught his breath, he asked, "Has ThunderClan reached our camp yet?" His stomach churned nervously as he waited for his father's answer.

"Yes." Waveheart flattened his ears to his head.

Ripplepaw stared down at his paws, ashamed. "I tried to make it back in time-"

"It's not your fault," Waveheart told him. "You tried your best, and that's all that counts." The white tom glanced around before adding, "I think it's best if you stay here, away from the battle. It's far too dangerous for you back at camp."

"I'll be fine!" Ripplepaw insisted.

Waveheart shook his head. "Stay here," he ordered, before racing back in the direction of camp. As Ripplepaw watched his father go, his neck fur bristled. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself! Sure, that ThunderClan apprentice had surprised him, but that was different. As the battle cries continued on, Ripplepaw began to panic. His Clanmates were getting hurt, and there was nothing he could do to help them.

Suddenly, the battles cries vanished. _The battle is over!_ Ripplepaw thought as he headed back to camp. As he neared camp, the silver tom pressed against the ground and peered through the reeds. To his surprise, Morningstar was laying completely still on the ground. Birchtail stood over her, his eyes wide with fear.

The RiverClan deputy then turned to face Ravenstar, his eyes blazing with fury. "You've won this battle, now leave!"

Ravenstar smirked. "StarClan was in our favor," she commented, before padding in the direction of the camp entrance. As the ThunderClan cats filed out of RiverClan's camp, Ripplepaw could hear them chanting happily. _Those cruel foxhearts!_ he thought bitterly, before padding into camp.

"Is she dead?" he asked quietly.

Birchtail shrugged. "I don't know," he whispered. "I hope not." Glancing around the clearing, he yowled, "Where is Nightsky?"

Nightsky slowly poked her head out of the medicine den. Her fur was ruffled from sleep, and her eyes looked tired. "What's going on?" she grumbled.

"Morningstar is hurt," Birchtail growled.

Nightsky's amber eyes widened as she hurried over to her sister's side. "Great StarClan!" she exclaimed. "How did this happen?"

"If you had been awake, you would know that ThunderClan attacked us!" Lilypelt spat, her cream fur bristling furiously.

Nightsky turned to face Ripplepaw, her eyes wide. "Why didn't you come wake me up?" she demanded, completely oblivious to the bleeding scratch on his shoulder.

"I was fighting," Ripplepaw meowed coldly. He quickly pushed his way past her, before heading towards their den. Inside, he gathered several herbs he would need to use to treat Morningstar's wounds. _What if she's dead?_ he thought panicked.

As he padded out into the clearing, he saw that the dark tortoiseshell leader was slowly sitting up. _Thank StarClan!_ As he set the herbs down beside her, Ripplepaw asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Morningstar rasped, before looking around the camp. "Is everyone all right?" she called out.

"Everyone is fine," Lilypelt told her. "We have a couple of scratches, but nothing too life threatening." The cream-colored warrior glared at Nightsky as if she wanted to say more, but Lilypelt kept her mouth shut.

As Ripplepaw dressed Morningstar's wounds, he could feel Nightsky's gaze burning into his pelt. "I'll take over from here," she snapped, pushing him out of the way.

Ripplepaw flattened his ears. _I wish I could rake my claws across your face!_ As Nightsky worked, Ripplepaw decided to check on his family.

"Are you okay?" he asked Minnowpaw.

Minnowpaw's blue eyes were wide with shock. "I think so," she muttered, before slowly looking over her pelt.

"I'm going to give you some poppy seeds anyways," he said. "They'll help you calm down." After fetching the tiny black seeds for his sister, Ripplepaw padded over in the direction of his parents. Right away, he noticed something was not right with his mother. Splashflower was hunched over, growling in pain.

"What happened?" Ripplepaw demanded.

"Splashflower has a belly wound," Waveheart replied, his voice cracking slightly.

"It's nothing," Splashflower insisted, grunting.

"Let me see it," Ripplepaw demanded.

Splashflower hesitated for a moment, before slowly laying down. As Ripplepaw examined her stomach, his eyes widened in shock. Blood was pouring out of a large gash on her lower stomach, causing her white belly fur to turn red with blood. "I'll be right back!" Ripplepaw exclaimed as he rushed back to the medicine cats den. As he snatched up a wad of cobweb, Nightsky padded into the den.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Splashflower's hurt!"

"I need that for Morningstar," Nightsky told him as she attempted to snatch the cobweb from his jaws.

Ripplepaw pulled back. "My mother will die if I don't give this to her," he snarled.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Morningstar's life is more important that your mother!" Ripplepaw's eyes widened in surprise. Growling, he knocked Nightsky to the side and rushed over to his mother. In the distance, he could hear Nightsky letting out cries of protest, but he ignored her. _How dare she say that about my mother!_

As the silver apprentice pressed the cobweb to his mother's wounds, his heart thumped wildly in his chest. _Don't let her die!_ Ripplepaw begged StarClan as he continued to dress her sounds. To his relief, the bleeding seemed to ease up. Turning to face his father Ripplepaw meowed, "I think she'll be fine. I'll just have to keep a close eye on her."

Waveheart nodded sadly. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered as he leaned forward to nuzzle his son. Waveheart then directed his attention back towards Splashflower. "Everything is going to be all right."

Splashflower let out a small purr. "Thank you, Ripplepaw."

Ripplepaw nodded, his throat tightening up. He had come _this_ close to losing his mother, all because of Nightsky's recklessness. What bothered him ever more was the fact that Nightsky had claimed his mother's life wasn't important! As a medicine cat, wasn't it her job to value all lives as equal? _I'll make her pay for this, one way or another._

* * *

 **I wanted to get this chapter up sooner, but my laptop is broken. I don't know what happened to it, but it refuses to connect to wifi anymore. For this reason, I had to borrow my grandma's laptop, which I am not allowed to use very often. I'm not sure when the next update will be, but I will try my best to post the next chapter as soon as I can.**

 **As always, thank you for reading and reviewing! See you next time.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"It's almost time for the Gathering!" Birchtail yowled as he padded over to the camp entrance.

Ripplepaw's eyes gleamed with excitement as he bounded over towards the RiverClan deputy. For the first time in his life, he was excited for the Gathering. _I hope Morningstar confronts those ThunderClan fleabags about what they did!_

"Where's Morningstar?" Rainfall questioned as she walked up.

"She doesn't feel very well tonight, so I'm going to report for RiverClan instead," Birchtail explained.

Rainfall's eyes widened. "She's going to be okay, isn't she?"

The grayish-brown tom nodded. "Morningstar will be fine. After all, she has Nightsky watching over her." Birchtail glanced up at the moon, which was quickly rising in the sky. "We need to get going."

As the RiverClan cats made their way towards Fourtrees, Ripplepaw felt Minnowpaw slip into place beside him. He could scent fear coming off of her in waves, and her eyes were round. "There's no need to be scared," Ripplepaw whispered into her ear.

Minnowpaw glanced down at her paws. "I know. I'm just worried the other apprentices won't like me..."

"Why wouldn't they like you? You're a great cat, Minnowpaw." Ripplepaw gave her a quick lick on the ear. "And if anyone is mean to you, I'll shred them!"

Minnowpaw let out a _mrrow_ of amusement. "Thank you," she purred, pressing closer to him.

Suddenly, Birchtail came to a pause at the top of the slope. Glancing back at his warriors he said, "I don't want any of you speaking to ThunderClan tonight. Is that understood?"

"Understood!" Swanfeather meowed, her eyes gleaming.

Birchtail nodded, before padding down into the clearing. As Ripplepaw followed him, the scent of the other four Clans came washing over him. _We're the last ones here,_ he realized, before taking a seat next to Pikeheart. As he got comfortable, Ripplepaw could feel the gazes of several cats burning into his pelt. Turning around, he saw that several ThunderClan cats were glaring at him and his Clanmates.

"Don't pay any attention to them," Pikeheart whispered, flicking his tail back and forth. "They're just trying to get is riled up."

As Birchtail climbed up onto the Great Rock, Ravenstar glared at him. "Finally! I was beginning to think RiverClan wasn't going to show up." Her voice dripped with venom as she spoke, and Ripplepaw could tell she was trying to get under Birchtail's skin.

"RiverClan would never miss a Gathering," the deputy responded, taking a seat.

"Pity," the ThunderClan leader snorted, turning away from him.

Flystar stared at Ravenstar and Birchtail for a few moments, before stepping forward. The SkyClan leader quickly cleared his throat, before announcing, "All is well in SkyClan this moon. Prey is plentiful, and the nursery is full. We also have several new warriors. Weaselpaw, Hazelpaw, and Stoatpaw are now Weaselwhisker, Hazelwing and Stoatfur."

"Weaselwhisker! Hazelwing! Stoatfur!" the cats cheered.

Once the cheering died down, Flystar dipped his head to Ravenstar, signalling it was her turn to speak. Ravenstar stepped forward, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "ThunderClan is thriving this moon. Our borders are secure and we have plenty of prey. Our warriors are still celebrating the victory against RiverClan." As she spoke, the black she-cat glanced over at Birchtail. The deputy's fur was bristling, but he did his best to remain calm.

"That attack was unjust, and you know it," Birchtail commented, flicking his tail.

"We had every right to attack you," Ravenstar shot back.

Birchtail let out a low growl, but did not respond. Once the ThunderClan leader was finished giving her report, Birchtail stepped forward. Puffing out his chest he yowled, "RiverClan is doing well this past moon. Despite the unjust attack, we have fully recovered and are on high alert for any more attacks. Our bellies are full, and our warriors are strong. Morningstar was not feeling very well tonight, but she is strong and will make a full recovery."

Once all five leaders were done speaking, the five Clans began to split up to share tongues. Before Ripplepaw could even move from his spot, Willowpaw was at his side. "I'm glad you're here," she mewed. Glancing at Minnowpaw the ShadowClan apprentice asked, "Who is this?"

"I'm Minnowpaw," Minnowpaw introduced herself. "I'm Ripplepaw's sister."

Willowpaw dipped her head to Minnowpaw. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Willowpaw. I'm ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice."

"So that's how you know my brother! I'm surprised he's never brought you up," the silver she-cat squeaked.

Ripplepaw let out a grunt. "I've had a lot on my mind," he said defensively.

"It's all right. I'm not angry." Willowpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. She then gave Ripplepaw a look, as if she wanted to talk to him alone.

Glancing at his sister Ripplepaw meowed, "Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to talk to Willowpaw about medicine cat stuff."

"Go ahead."

Ripplepaw stood up and padded over to a large clump of ferns. Willowpaw followed after him, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. As soon as the two apprentices settled down she whispered, "What's going on? Did you quit your job as Nightsky's apprentice?"

He shook his head. "I decided to continue my training for the sake of my Clan. I figured that if Nightsky is willing to poison me, she'll do anything."

"You're right," Willowpaw agreed. "I wouldn't trust Nightsky with the hair on my pelt, and Honeyleaf agrees."

"You told Honeyleaf?" Ripplepaw felt a low growl rising up in his throat.

"Yes, but don't worry. She promised that she wouldn't tell any other cat about what's going on," Willowpaw meowed. "Honeyleaf is very honest. She would never go behind my back, ever."

Ripplepaw allowed his fur to lie flat. "All right. Did she say anything else to you about Nightsky?"

Willowpaw shook her head. "Not really. All she said was that she never trusted Nightsky to begin with, so it didn't really surprise her that Nightsky would try to poison you."

Before Ripplepaw could say anymore, Birchtail let out a call. "RiverClan warriors, it's time to go!"

"I have to go," he told her. "I'll see you again at the next medicine cat meeting."

Willowpaw waved her tail in goodbye. "If you need me, you know where I am! You're welcome in our camp any time!"

* * *

By the time Ripplepaw reached camp, his entire body ached. _I could sleep for an entire year!_ he thought as he made his way towards his den.

"What did Ravenstar say?" Morningstar demanded as she limped out of her den.

Birchtail flattened his ears to his head. "She made a complete fool out of us!" he growled. "Honestly, I think you've been way too soft lately."

Morningstar stared at him in shock. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said! You've been way too kind to the other Clans, which makes us look soft. You need to grow a backbone, Morningstar. Otherwise the other Clans will continue to walk all over us and treat us as if we're kittypets." Birchtail's entire pelt was bristling now.

"There's nothing wrong with being compassionate-"

"You're right, there is nothing wrong with compassion. However, you're turning this Clan into a joke. No one even takes us serious anymore, and I guarantee ThunderClan will attack us again. I wouldn't be surprised if ShadowClan, or WindClan, or even _SkyClan_ attacked us as well! You need to step it up, if you're going to be our leader." Birchtail stared into her eyes for a few moments, before stalking off towards the warriors den.

Morningstar stared at him, her eyes full of shock. Looking at her warriors she demanded, "Do you agree with him?"

Shellnose slowly stepped forward. "Yes," he confessed slowly.

Lilypelt nodded her head in agreement. "I think Birchtail is right. Things need to change around here, before it's too late."

Ripplepaw nodded as well, but he did not say anything. He was already on thin ice with Morningstar, so he knew his opinion would mean nothing to her. _Morningstar is an incredibly weak leader. If I were leader, I'd never allow ThunderClan to attack us. RiverClan would be the most feared Clan in the entire forest!_

The dark tortoiseshell's eyes filled with sadness. "Very well," she rasped, before limping back inside her den.

Once she was gone, the warriors began to chat among themselves about what Birchtail had said. Not in the mood for gossip, the medicine cat apprentice retreated into his den. As he curled up in his nest, Ripplepaw felt Nightsky approach him.

"How was the Gathering?" she asked stiffly.

Ripplepaw shrugged. "Nothing special."

"I see." The den grew silent as Nightsky struggled for words. "Well... I'll let you go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ripplepaw rested his chin on his forepaws, before squeezing his eyes shut. Within seconds, he found himself in an unfamiliar forest. Unlike the forest from his nightmare all those moons ago, this one was bright and dazzling. The scent of flowers filled the air, and warm sunshine shone down onto his pelt. "Is this StarClan?" he called out. Perhaps StarClan was coming to accept him as the new medicine cat?

Suddenly, a long haired white she-cat stepped out from the undergrowth. Her blue eyes were bright as she made her way towards Ripplepaw. "Greetings, Ripplepaw," the she-cat meowed, her voice soft.

"Are you a StarClan cat?" Ripplepaw wondered, tipping his head to the side.

Her whisker's twitched. "Yes, of course." For a moment, Ripplepaw thought he saw a glimmer of mischief in her eyes, but he ignored it. "I have a very important message from you. But you must keep it to yourself. Is that understood?"

He nodded.

"All right then." The white she-cat hesitated for a few seconds before continuing, "Ripplepaw, you must stop Nightsky and Morningstar. They are destroying RiverClan, and if you don't do something to stop them, I'm afraid several lives will be lost."

Ripplepaw's eyes widened. StarClan was giving him permission to save the Clan! "How can I stop them?" he demanded, his tail flicking back and forth excitedly.

"Do whatever you can, it doesn't matter. Just stop them!" her voice shook as she spoke.

"I won't let you down," Ripplepaw promised, puffing out his chest.

The she-cat smirked. "Good," she growled. Turning away, she headed back into the undergrowth. Now alone, Ripplepaw noticed the forest seemed to grow darker and the air got colder.

"What's going on?" he asked, before jolting awake in his nest. Heart pounding, he glanced over at Nightsky who was still fast asleep in her nest. As Ripplepaw watched her sleep, his throat tightened. _I'll have to kill her,_ he realized. _It's the only way._

* * *

 **Wow, thank you for all the reviews everyone! I am so glad everyone is enjoying this story. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you all will like it as well. Things will be growing darker from here on out, just to let everyone know. Also, here's a question for everyone: Do you think the white cat that Ripplepaw met was really from StarClan? Or do you think is was a fake omen sent from the Dark Forest?**

 **Thanks for reading! I will try to update as soon as possible.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

It had been a week since Ripplepaw's dream. Every passing day felt like torture to him, as he knew sooner or later Nightsky would have to die. The idea of watching his mentor die before his eyes made him sick, but Ripplepaw knew it was the only way to keep RiverClan safe. _Nightsky is a danger to the entire forest,_ he told himself as he padded into the den.

Nightsky was sitting at the back of the den, sorting through some withered leaves. Looking up, she smiled at him. "Good morning! What do you say we head towards Sunningrocks and look for some chickweed?"

Ripplepaw shuffled his paws uncomfortably. "Actually, I was thinking we should head towards the waterfall. I spotted a huge clump of coltsfoot there yesterday."

Nightsky nodded. "That sounds good to me. We're actually low on coltsfoot anyways." Standing up, the black medicine cat followed Ripplepaw out into the camp clearing. As they made their way out of camp, Ripplepaw's heart began to beat wildly. What if Nightsky escaped? She would surely tell Morningstar, and that would be the end of him. He'd be forced to live the rest of his days away from his family.

"Are you all right? You look so nervous," she murmured. "If you're worried about falling into the gorge, don't be."

Ripplepaw's neck fur began to bristle. "I'm fine," he lied as he slowed his pace. "I was just thinking about a bad nightmare I had last night."

Nightsky gave him a sympathetic look. "Nightmares are no fun. Just remember it was all a dream. That's what I do when I have a bad dream."

The silver tom grunted, but didn't say anything. As they approached the waterfall, his heart thumped wildly in his chest. Nightsky was about to die, all because of him.

"I don't see any coltsfoot," Nightsky said as she looked around. "Are you sure it was here?"

Ripplepaw gulped. "Yeah, but can I talk to you about something first?"

She stared at him, clearly confused. "Sure, I guess." Once she took a seat, Ripplepaw unsheathed his claws and began to approach her from behind.

Before Nightsky could react, Ripplepaw leaped onto her back. The black she-cat let out a surprised screech, before rolling out of the way. "What are you doing?" she cried out, her amber eyes wide with fear.

"Something I should have done a long time ago!" Ripplepaw retorted, aiming a blow to her muzzle. As they fought, Ripplepaw realized he had the upper hand. Despite his breathing problems, he was much stronger than his mentor. And since their last scuffle, he had grown much bigger. Suddenly, Ripplepaw lashed out at her throat, tearing the skin. Scarlet blood splattered everywhere, coating his light silver pelt.

Nightsky began to cough violently, before thrashing around underneath him. As Ripplepaw watched, his stomach began to churn nervously. _I have to make sure she dies!_ As Nightsky convulsed under him, Ripplepaw leaned down and gave her another wound to the belly. Immediately, blood poured out of the wound like a waterfall, coating Nightsky's dark pelt. As the blood continued to pool out of the wound like a scarlet wave, it coated his delicate paws turning them bright red.

Nightsky would not survive these wounds.

Gulping, Ripplepaw looked into Nightsky's amber eyes. They were filled with shock, rage and sadness. "Why?" she choked out, blood running down the side of her mouth.

He did not respond. What could he possibly tell her? She was going to die anyways, so nothing he said mattered. Finally, the light in Nightsky's eyes died away, leaving a still, glossy expression.

She was dead.

Stepping back, Ripplepaw stared at her body. He had successfully murdered someone, and he had to admit it felt good. He had saved RiverClan from Nightsky's cruel paws. Now all that was left was to rid the Clan of Morningstar, but that was a task for another day. Glancing around, Ripplepaw picked up Nightsky's scruff and hauled her dead body over towards the edge of the gorge. Glancing down at the foaming waterfall below, he tossed her body down into the violent waves. Within seconds, Nightsky's dead body disappeared under the water, causing the waves to turn red with her blood.

Looking down at himself, Ripplepaw noticed he was covered in blood. _Nightsky's_ blood. He had to wash it off as soon as possible, otherwise he would never get away with the crime he had just committed. Taking a deep breath, Ripplepaw headed upstream, towards a calmer part of the river. He quickly jumped into the water, and began cleansing himself of any evidence. As he climbed out, the silver tom began to head in the direction of camp. As he walked, he began to plan what he would say to Morningstar.

 _I'll tell her we were attacked by a rogue, when Nightsky accidentally slipped and fell into the gorge,_ he decided.

As he neared camp, Ripplepaw's heart was beating faster than it had ever in his entire life. What if Morningstar didn't believe him? Slowly, Ripplepaw limped into camp, his eyes watering. "Nightsky is dead!" he yowled sadly.

Morningstar darted out of her den immediately, her amber eyes wide with shock. " _What_ did you just say?" she demanded.

"Nightsky is dead," he repeated, crocodile tears rolling down the side of his face. "We were gathering herbs by the waterfall, when a rogue attacked us. Nightsky tried to fight him off, but she accidentally slipped and fell into the gorge. I tried to go downstream to find her, but it was impossible. I'm so sorry, Morningstar. I tried my best, I really did." At this point, real tears were rolling down his face. He had _killed_ someone!

Morningstar stood there, stunned. Finally she whispered, "It's not your fault."

Ripplepaw sniffled, before limping over in the direction of his den. He was the sole medicine cat of RiverClan now. As he slid down in his nest, Nightsky's scent came washing over him. For the first time in his life, he realized how much the den smelled like her.

Suddenly, Birchtail appeared in the entrance. "Can I ask you a quick question?" the deputy wondered.

He nodded. "Go ahead."

As Birchtail took a seat beside Ripplepaw he asked, "What did the rogue look like?"

"I don't remember. Everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to pay attention," Ripplepaw meowed. _Please believe me!_

Birchtail frowned. "I understand. If you happen to remember, come let me know. I want to find this rogue, and make him pay for what he's done."

Ripplepaw's throat tightened. What if they really did find a rogue in their territory? Another life would be lost, because of him. _Nightsky had to die,_ he reminded himself. _StarClan even gave you permission to kill her!_ As Ripplepaw sat there, his head began to pound and he felt sick to his stomach. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

By the time Ripplepaw woke up, it was evening. Slowly, he walked out into the clearing where several cats were huddled around something. As he approached, Ripplepaw realized it was Nightsky's body. "How did you find it?" he asked the nearest cat.

"Birchtail's patrol found it washed up by the Twoleg bridge," Pebblestripe explained. The gray warrior turned to face the body. "Poor Nightsky," he murmured. "Her body was torn up by the sharp rocks in the gorge." Ripplepaw pushed his way through his Clanmates, before pausing to look down at his dead mentor's body. Pebblestripe was right. Nightsky's body had been cut and damaged by the sharp rocks in the river. Upon seeing this, Ripplepaw let out a sigh. Now now cat would ever suspect him of murder.

"I think we should let Morningstar, Sootpelt and Ripplepaw mourn in peace for the time being," Birchtail commanded and he shooed all the warriors away.

As the crowd thinned, the silver tom began to grow uncomfortable. _I don't deserve to mourn for her. I'm not even sad,_ Ripplepaw thought. As Sootpelt took a seat next to him, Ripplepaw couldn't help but feel empathetic for the old tom.

"I can't believe she's dead," Sootpelt rasped, running a paw over her torn and battered body.

"I know," Morningstar whispered. "I keep thinking this is nothing more than a cruel nightmare that I'm going to wake up from." Morningstar slowly curled up beside her sister, tears forming in her dark eyes. "Perhaps she'll visit me in my dreams?" Looking over at Ripplepaw she requested, "If Nightsky ever visits you, please let me know."

He nodded awkwardly. "I promise I will."

For the first time since her sister's death, Morningstar smiled. It wasn't a very big smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. "Thanks."

As Ripplepaw sat there, the more uncomfortable he felt. Glancing down at his leader he asked, "What am I supposed to do about my training now that Nightsky is dead?"

Morningstar looked up in surprise. "You're our only medicine cat now..." she whispered. Leaping to her paws she said, "You must go to the Moonstone immediately to receive your full medicine cat name! It's important you do so, the sooner the better." Glancing up at the darkening sky, she added, "Tonight. You must go tonight."

Ripplepaw stared at her, before standing to his paws. "All right, then. I shall go to Moonstone immediately." As he limped towards the camp entrance, his stomach began to churn nervously. What if Nightsky came to confront him? No, that was impossible. Nightsky _had_ to be in the Dark Forest. She was evil! Only StarClan cats would be able to visit him and make him a full medicine cat. _But what if StarClan ignores me like they did last time?_ he panicked. With a sigh, he realized he would just have to lie if that happened.

As he crossed the Twoleg bridge, Ripplepaw began the long trek towards Highstones. As he approached the moorland, the soft grass underpaw began to turn spiky and hard.

"Stop!" a loud voice commanded.

Ripplepaw jumped into the air, surprised. Spinning around, he saw a WindClan patrol approaching him.

"What are you doing on WindClan territory?" a dark ginger she-cat demanded.

"I promise I mean no harm. I'm simply passing through on my way to Highstones," Ripplepaw explained, shuffling his paws on the ground.

A cream-brown tom narrowed his eyes at Ripplepaw. "Alone?" he growled.

"Wait, Berryheart," a brown tabby she-cat said. "I think I know who this is. You're Nightsky's apprentice, aren't you?"

Ripplepaw nodded. "I _was_ her apprentice. Now I'm the sole medicine cat for RiverClan."

"What happened to Nightsky?" Berryheart asked, tipping his head to the side. "She didn't die, did she?"

"I'm afraid so," Ripplepaw whispered, glancing down at the ground. "Earlier today she slipped and fell into the gorge. I tried to save her, but there was nothing I could do. Now I'm on my way to the Moonstone so that I may earn my full medicine cat name."

The three WindClan warriors dipped their head in respect. "May StarClan light her path," the dark ginger she-cat meowed. "Well, I wish you the best of luck. WindClan mourns the loss of Nightsky, and our prayers will be with you and your entire Clan." Stepping aside, they allowed Ripplepaw to pass.

Quickening his pace, Ripplepaw made his way across the moorland. As the moon climbed higher into the sky, Ripplepaw couldn't help but grow nervous. He had little to no battle skills, so he would be doomed if he ran into a hungry fox or badger. _StarClan will protect me,_ he told himself as he continued his way towards Highstones. As he approached the Thunderpath, he could see the glimmering eyes of the monsters as they roared down the black path.

Gulping, Ripplepaw paused beside the Thunderpath, heart pounding. Once there was a gap between monsters, Ripplepaw darted out onto the Thunderpath. Ignoring his lungs, he raced as fast as he could before leaping safely onto the other side. As he sat there catching his breath, Ripplepaw looked up at the sky. The moon was almost straight above Highstones, meaning he had to act fast. Gulping for air, the silver tom scrambled up the rocky slope and into Mothermouth. Darkness swallowed him up, causing him to panic. Pushing his fears aside, Ripplepaw ran down the long and winding tunnels, his whiskers brushing the smooth walls. Finally, he emerged into the cavern where the Moonstone lay.

Suddenly, the moon positioned itself right above the hole in the roof, causing dazzling light to illuminate the cave. Squinting, Ripplepaw approached the Moonstone. As he lay down, he quickly pressed his nose to the icy stone. Within seconds, Ripplepaw found himself back in the beautiful clearing he had dreamed of earlier.

The white she-cat from his previous dream was there, along with a few unfamiliar faces. Looking closer, Ripplepaw noticed how scrawny and ragged the new cats appeared to be. _Aren't StarClan cats supposed to be beautiful?_ he wondered. Pushing the thought away, he turned to face the white she-cat.

"Welcome, Ripplepaw," the white she-cat purred. "I am very pleased with you."

Ripplepaw puffed out his chest. "Thank you," he meowed, his eyes shining. Suddenly he asked, "Is Nightsky in the Dark Forest?"

The white she-cat exchanged a glance with a gray tom. "Of course," she finally said, talking a few steps towards Ripplepaw. "It is time to give you your full medicine cat name." Ripplepaw squirmed excitedly. He couldn't believe it! He was about to receive his full name, and early too! "From this moment forward, you shall be known as Ripplesky."

"You're naming me after _Nightsky_? The very cat I just murdered?" Ripplesky growled, narrowing his eyes.

The white she-cat gave him an annoyed look. "Be patient, young one. If you would have let me finish, you would know I have reason for this. By naming you after Nightsky, your Clanmates will believe she gave you her blessing as the new medicine cat. It will also look like a gesture of honor. You must never let your Clanmates figure out the truth," the white she-cat told him.

Ripplesky nodded in understanding. "I suppose," he said. "Thank you..." Ripplesky trailed off, unsure of the she-cat's name.

"Snowdust," the white she-cat told him. Flicking her tail towards the other cats she meowed, "And these cats are Sparrowfeather, Snowtuft, and Silverhawk."

Ripplesky blinked at the three cats. Turning his attention back towards Snowdust he said, "I promise I won't let you down. I'll keep RiverClan safe, no matter what."

Snowdust purred happily. "Good. Now it is time to return back to your Clan. Travel safely, and remember we will always be watching you."

* * *

 **I had a ton of fun writing this chapter, so I hope everyone will like it. Also, thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter! I love reading what you have to say, and what you think of the story. I will do my best to update again soon. Question: What did you think about Nightsky's death scene?**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It had been almost a moon since Nightsky's death. Since then, Ripplesky felt as if he was slowing growing mad. Every night, Nightsky came to haunt him. He could never hear what she was saying, but he could tell she was furious. Ripplesky would try to run away from her, but his nightmares would always end in a bloody fight to the death. It didn't help that his lack of sleep and guilty conscience was causing him to panic around his Clanmates. He could barely look any cat in the eye anymore, afraid they would somehow figure out the truth and confront him about it.

"Ripplesky?"

The medicine cat jumped to his paws, eyes wide. Spinning around, he turned to face the voice. As soon as he realized it was his sister, he immediately calmed down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you," Minnowpaw apologized as she sat down. Her blue eyes were filled with sadness as she glanced down at the ground.

Ripplesky shook his head. "It's all right. I know you didn't mean it." Slowly, he padded over to his sister and took a seat beside her. "Are you all right? You look troubled..."

Minnowpaw flicked her tail back and forth nervously. "It's nothing," she muttered, standing up. "I should just go. Sorry for bothering you."

Ripplesky quickly stopped her. "Tell me what's wrong," he demanded.

The silver-gray she-cat gave him a surprised look, before sitting back down. "Promise you won't get mad?" As soon as Ripplesky nodded she continued, "Ever since you became the sole medicine cat of RiverClan, I feel as if we've drifted apart. You have so much responsibility on your shoulders, and you're only nine moons! I feel like we aren't even siblings anymore." A flash of panic crossed Minnowpaw's eyes as she quickly added, "I don't mean that in a bad way. I just mean that I feel we've grown so far apart-"

"I understand what you mean," Ripplesky said, cutting her off. Leaning forward, he gave his sister a nuzzle. "I feel the same way, sometimes. Things would have been different if Morningstar had just made me a warrior's apprentice." A growl rose up in his throat as he thought back to his apprentice ceremony. If Morningstar had just let him train as a warrior, none of this would have ever happened. Nightsky would still be alive, and he would be living as a normal apprentice.

"You're a great medicine cat," Minnowpaw told him, a purr rising up in her throat. "I could never handle the responsibility of the entire Clan at this age." Suddenly, Briarpelt's voice sounded out in the clearing. "Briarpelt is looking for me. I better get going before he sends me to clean Sootpelt for ticks!"

As Ripplesky watched his sister leave, a wave of envy came crashing down on him. Minnowpaw was lucky. She didn't have to worry about saving the Clan from evil medicine cats, or weak leaders. Her only worry was bringing back enough prey for the Clan. Sighing, Ripplesky padded over to the herb storage. As he began to pull wilted leaves from the fresh store, a withered leaf caught his attention. Upon closer examination, it was the same leaf Nightsky had plucked from that bush so long ago. Growing, Ripplesky began to shred the leaf, tears welling in his eyes.

 _What have I done?_

* * *

A thick blanket of frost covered the reeds as Ripplesky made his way towards Fourtrees. Today he had decided to search for some oak leaves, since the cold season was fast approaching. As he neared the giant oaks, the scent of ShadowClan overwhelmed him. Narrowing his eyes, Ripplesky ducked down behind a bramble bush. What was ShadowClan doing so far in RiverClan's territory? As Ripplesky scanned the undergrowth, a familiar tabby pelt caught his attention.

"Willowpaw!" he growled, leaping out from his hiding spot.

"Ripplesky!" Willowpaw exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Ripplesky demanded, his neck fur bristling slightly.

"I'm looking for herbs," the ShadowClan apprentice replied, giving him a friendly smile.

"You can't be here. You're trespassing on RiverClan's territory," Ripplesky said, narrowing his eyes. Didn't Willowpaw know the warrior code?

Willowpaw gave him a surprised look. "Medicine cats can go wherever they please," she sniffed, flicking her tail back and forth. "Why do you care that I'm here anyways? I thought we were friends."

"We _are_ friends," Ripplesky meowed, "but that doesn't mean you can wander into my territory." Glancing over his shoulder he whispered, "You need to leave, before a patrol catches you. I'm sure Honeyleaf won't be happy if a RiverClan patrol has to escort you home."

Willowpaw gave him an angry look. "Fine!" she spat, the fur along her spine bristling. Spinning around, the pale brown tabby marched in the direction of ShadowClan's territory. Just as she was about to pad into the undergrowth, Willowpaw turned to face him. "You think you're better than me just because you're a full medicine cat. Well, guess what! You're no better than a pile of dung."

Ripplesky stared at her, shocked. Why was she so angry with him for defending his Clan's territory? Sure, the two had been friendly a couple of times, but that didn't change the fact that trespassing was against the warrior code. Ripplesky couldn't allow his friendship with Willowpaw to interfere with his job. His Clan came first, and no friendship would change that. Sighing, Ripplesky began to head towards the great oaks.

As he gathered up the fallen leaves that had scattered the ground, Ripplesky noticed the undergrowth behind him was rustling violently. "Who's there?" he called out, the fur along his spine bristling. _What if it's a fox?_ Not wanting to find out, the young tom gathered up his herbs as quickly as possible, before racing in the direction of camp. As he ran, he could feel his chest and throat tightening up. The pressure became too much, causing Ripplesky to have to stop to catch his breath. "That was scary," he meowed to himself, before continuing his walk home.

When he reached camp, Morningstar padded up to him. "There you are! I've been looking for you all morning. I was starting to worry something had happened to you." The tortoiseshell she-cat gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks before adding, "There's something I would like to talk to you about."

Ripplesky narrowed his eyes at her. "What?" _What if she knows I killed Nightsky?_ Gulping, the silver tom followed the RiverClan leader into her den.

"I'm appointing Swanfeather and Mudfoot as your bodyguards," Morningstar told him. "Since Nightsky's death, I've been worried about what's in store for the Clan. You're so young and-"

"I don't need babysitters," Ripplesky growled, flattening his ears to his head.

"They're not 'babysitters', they're _bodyguards_. They're going to be there to protect you in case of emergency," Morningstar argued. Ripplesky could tell she was growing slightly upset, as her tail was lashing back and forth.

"I'll be fine," he insisted, standing to his paws.

"Please," she pleaded, her eyes tearing up. "I can't lose you, too... You're all this Clan has left. If something were to happen to you, we'd fall apart." Morningstar glanced down at her paws. "Sometimes I feel as if StarClan has abandoned us completely."

"StarClan watches over us," Ripplesky meowed vaguely.

"Do they share tongues with you?" Morningstar wondered.

He nodded slowly. "Yes. StarClan has not abandoned us. They watch over each and every one of us." Ripplesky's stomach began to churn nervously. Afraid of spilling his secret, he dipped his head to Morningstar and left the den.

When he reached the safety of the medicine den, the young tom curled up in his nest. Usually, he dreaded falling asleep as he knew he would only be met by his terrible nightmares. This time, he did not care if Nightsky came to torture him in his sleep. Closing his eyes, Ripplesky drifted off to sleep. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a sunny forest clearing, unlike the dark and scary forest he had encountered several times in his nightmares.

"Snowdust?" he called out, wondering if his StarClan mentor had come to visit him. To his surprise, Silverhawk stepped out from the undergrowth. Ripplesky had only met Silverhawk once before, so it was surprising that the ragged warrior had come to visit him.

"Greetings," Silverhawk murmured. "Snowdust was busy, so I came instead. I have some important information I need to share with you."

Ripplesky blinked. "Is something bad going to happen?" he wondered, tipping his head to the side.

Silverhawk flicked an ear. "In three sunrises, ThunderClan is going to launch a raid on ShadowClan in the middle of the night."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ripplesky demanded, narrowing his eyes. "It shouldn't be my responsibility to worry about ShadowClan. They can take care of themselves."

"If you would be quiet and listen, you would know why I'm telling you this," Silverhawk growled, unsheathing his claws. For a second, Ripplesky thought Silverhawk was going to attack him. To his relief, the gray tabby calmed down after a few seconds. "ShadowClan will be badly outnumbered, meaning RiverClan will have to come to their aid. This will be the perfect time for you to kill Morningstar. Since it will be the night of a new moon, the forest will be drenched in darkness, allowing you to get away with killing her. The Clan will think she was slain in battle by a ThunderClan warrior."

Ripplesky gulped. "I can't do that," he blurted out. "I just can't! I'm sorry, Silverhawk, but you're just going to have to find another cat to carry out these... prophecies, or whatever they are."

Silverhawk snarled at him. "I always knew you were a coward," he spat. Before Ripplesky could react, he was thrown to the ground by Silverhawk. The gray tabby was much larger and stronger than him, meaning Ripplesky was powerless to fight him off.

"Get off me!" he pleaded, squirming under the StarClan cat's weight.

Just as Silverhawk was about to lash out at him, Snowtuft's voice rang out across the clearing. "Stop it, you frog-brain!"

Silverhawk glared at the white warrior, before reluctantly stepping off. "He won't go through with our plan," he told Snowtuft.

Snowtuft looked at Ripplesky, and then back at Silverhawk. "I'm sure he'll come around eventually. Just give him time, and allow Snowdust to talk to him. After all, she's the one responsible for him. Shredding his pelt isn't going to make him do it."

Ripplesky let out a sigh of relief, glad that Snowtuft was so understanding. "I just can't kill another cat. Since Nightsky's death, I feel as if I've lost my mind. Every night I have nightmares, and I can barely face my Clanmates anymore."

"How pathetic," Silverhawk muttered under his breath. Ripplesky narrowed his eyes at the gray warrior. Something wasn't right about Silverhawk, or any of his StarClan mentors for that matter. While most of them were very nice, there was also something mysterious about them. They all seemed so battle hungry and aggressive, which was the last thing the young tom expected from StarClan cats. He had always imagined them to be peaceful and kind.

"You'll get better in time," Snowtuft meowed. "For now, just think about what Silverhawk has told you. Perhaps when the battle arrives, you'll change your mind." Before Ripplesky could reply, he jolted awake in his nest.

Perhaps he could stop the battle all together? If ShadowClan was warned of the battle ahead of time, they could evacuate their camp and RiverClan wouldn't need to come to their aid. Then, he wouldn't have to kill Morningstar. _I don't think I should talk to those StarClan cats anymore,_ Ripplesky thought. While he liked his StarClan mentors, deep down he felt as if trusting them was a huge mistake.

* * *

 **I'm sorry I haven't updated in a couple of weeks. I had to deal with some issues, both online and in real life. Luckily, that's all behind me so I'm free to update whenever I can. Also, I would like to thank you all for leaving so many reviews. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter, and you will all have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The sun was setting in the sky as Ripplesky slipped out of camp. Heart pounding, the young tom headed in the direction of ShadowClan's camp. _What if they don't believe me?_ Pushing the thought aside, he continued on.

When he reached the Thunderpath, Ripplesky could feel his chest tightening up. He hated the Thunderpath, especially at night. Taking a deep breath, Ripplesky darted out onto the black path. Sharp stones dug into his paw pads, making him wince. As he crossed the path, he could hear monsters in the distance. They were approaching swiftly, their bright eyes shining down onto him. With a final burst of speed, Ripplesky landed on the tough grass on the other side of the Thunderpath.

Sniffing the air, the silver tom tried to pick up traces of a patrol. To his disappointment, the scent markers left behind were hours old, meaning no patrol had been in the area for a while. Pushing through the sparse undergrowth, Ripplesky began to look around for ShadowClan's camp. He had never been in ShadowClan's territory before, so he had no clue where to look.

Suddenly, the tall pine branches above his head began to rustle. Glancing up, Ripplesky spotted a pair of shining eyes. "Who's there?" he demanded.

A few seconds later, Willowpaw slithered down from the tree. Her amber eyes were narrowed in annoyance. "You're trespassing on ShadowClan's territory," she snarled, mocking his tone from their earlier encounter.

"I have a very important message," Ripplesky said, growing annoyed. Why did Willowpaw have to behave like an immature kit?

"I don't want to hear it," Willowpaw growled. "Now go away, before I call a patrol on you."

"You don't understand," Ripplesky gulped. "ShadowClan is in danger!"

Willowpaw's eyes widened for a brief second, before narrowing again. "ShadowClan can take care of itself, thank you very much."

"In three sunrises, ThunderClan is going to ambush your camp! You have to listen to me, Willowpaw. I know you're angry with me from our earlier encounter, but this is serious." He stared at her, hoping she would listen to him. To his disappointment, she didn't seem to believe him.

Before she could chase him off, three warriors stepped out from the undergrowth. "What's going on?" a reddish-brown tom demanded, his eyes blazing in the dying rays of sunlight. As he directed his attention towards Ripplesky he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ripplesky gulped. "I've come with a message," he announced, puffing out his chest slightly. _Stay calm_ , he told himself.

"What kind of message?" a cream-brown she-cat wondered.

"It's nothing, Dawnfire. Ripplesky is just full of nonsense," Willowpaw mewed, shooting a glare at the RiverClan medicine cat.

"ThunderClan is planning an attack on ShadowClan," he said, ignoring Willowpaw's harsh tone.

Dawnfire flicked an ear. "And how do you know this? More importantly, why do you care? I appreciate the fact you want to help us, but you should worry about your own Clan."

A growl rose up in Ripplesky's throat, but he did his best to remain calm.

"I think this is a trap," the reddish-brown tom growled, glaring at Ripplesky. "Perhaps we should take him back to camp and let Bramblestar decide what to do with him."

Dawnfire was silent for a few moments. Finally she shook her head and replied, "I don't think so. He's too..."

"I'm too what?" he growled, flicking his tail slightly.

The ShadowClan she-cat shook her head. "Never mind. Oakfall, let's escort him back to the border. Marshtuft, you take Willowpaw back to camp."

Marshtuft nodded, before leading Willowpaw in the direction of camp. As soon as they were gone, Dawnfire and Oakfall padded alongside Ripplesky as they escorted him to the border. "RiverClan should teach their apprentices better," Oakfall sniffed.

"I'm not an apprentice," Ripplesky told him.

The ShadowClan tom snorted. "Whatever."

The rest of the walk was silent. By the time they reached the border, the forest was completely dark. "Don't come back," Dawnfire ordered, glaring at him.

"You'll regret this, mark my words," Ripplesky threatened, before padding up to the edge of the Thunderpath. Before the ShadowClan cats could challenge his threat, he darted out onto the dark Thunderpath. To his relief, the stone path was silent. The monsters must be sleeping, he thought as he crossed over onto the opposite side of the forest. As he made his way home, Ripplesky could only think of how angry he was. Why did ShadowClan have to be so stubborn? _They'll be sorry three sunrises from now._ Pushing his anger aside, Ripplesky decided to check the area for herbs.

Realizing his efforts were useless, he gave up and went home. When he reached camp, he saw that most of the cats had retreated into their dens for the night. Morningstar and Birchtail were the only cats awake. They were having a quiet discussion outside of Morningstar's den.

"Good evening," Birchtail called out as Ripplesky walked past.

"Have you been out alone?" Morningstar demanded, leaping to her paws. "You can't do that! Next time, bring one of your bodyguards with you."

Birchtail gave her a surprised look. "Ripplesky can take care of himself. After all, he's almost as big as Waveheart."

Morningstar sighed. "I don't want to take any chances, Birchtail. Just imagine what would happen to the Clan if Ripplesky died too." The tortoiseshell leader was silent for a while before meowing, "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

Birchtail dipped his head to the leader, before making his way towards the warriors den. "I'm going to go to sleep as well. Night, Ripplesky." Waving his tail in goodbye, the deputy slipped into the safety of the warriors den.

Now alone, Ripplesky made his way towards his own den. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't tired, and he didn't feel like sorting herbs. Letting out a sigh, the silver tom decided to lay down anyways. Rolling onto his back, he gazed up at the roof of the den. _I hate to admit this, but I'm lonely without Nightsky. At least she kept me company when I was bored._

* * *

The next few sunrises were incredibly slow and boring. Seeing as the herb store was full, Ripplesky had no reason to leave camp. Because of this, the young tom spent most of his days laying around camp, waiting for the battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan to break out. Part of him wanted to tell Morningstar to refuse help, but he knew she wouldn't agree to that. _She's too soft,_ he thought irritably. _ShadowClan doesn't deserve our help after sending me away. Don't they realize medicine cats should be treated with respect?_

Pushing his thoughts away, Ripplesky decided to go and watch Minnowpaw's training session. He hadn't been to the apprentice training grounds in some time, so it would do him good. As he made his way out of camp, Mudfoot stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ripplesky's stomach tightened. "I'm going to the training area," he growled, pushing his way past the older warrior.

"You're not supposed to leave camp by yourself," Mudfoot reminded him as he quickly followed after Ripplesky.

The medicine cat paused. "Stop following me!" he spat, suppressing the urge to claw Mudfoot across the face.

Mudfoot shook his head. "I can't. Morningstar told me-"

"And if Morningstar told you to go lay in the middle of the Thunderpath, would you?" As soon as the dark warrior shook his head, Ripplesky continued, "Exactly! Now leave me alone."

Mudfoot hesitated for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh. Without saying a word, he turned around and padded back towards camp. Now alone, Ripplesky headed towards the training grounds. As he approached, he could hear Minnowpaw and Briarpelt as they trained.

"You're a fast learner," Briarpelt praised as he took a seat beneath the shade of a willow.

Minnowpaw puffed out her chest. "Well, I have an excellent mentor!"

Ripplesky let out a purr. Before long, Minnowpaw would become a warrior. The idea of watching his sister's ceremony made his heart swell with pride. _We should be having our ceremony together,_ the silver tom suddenly realized. A wave of sadness came crashing down on him as he realized how different their destinies had turned out. Ripplesky quickly pushed the thought away. This wasn't about him, it was about Minnowpaw. His fate had already been decided, but she was still figuring out her place in life. _I'm going to cheer for her louder than any other cat in the Clan!_

"Ripplesky?" Minnowpaw's voice sounded.

Looking up, the silver medicine cat noticed his sister was approaching him. "I came to watch you train," he told her, smiling slightly.

Minnowpaw's eyes gleamed. "Come watch this new move I just learned!" Spinning around, the pretty she-cat padded to the sandy clearing. "I want to show Ripplesky the move you just taught me," Minnowpaw said to Briarpelt.

Briarpelt dipped his head. Before the tom could prepare himself, Minnowpaw leaped onto him. The two wrestled on the ground, aiming blows at each other's legs and face. Finally, Minnowpaw pinned her mentor to the ground. "I win!" she squealed, her tail waving excitedly.

Ripplesky let out a purr. "That was brilliant!"

"Thanks! Do you want to try?"

He quickly shook his head. "I can't."

"Why?" His sister's gaze quickly filled with sadness as she whimpered, "That's right, your breathing." Minnowpaw flattened her ears to her head as she pushed past her brother. "I have to go. I'll see you back at camp, okay?"

Ripplesky watched her go. Sighing, he headed towards the river. _My life is so boring,_ he thought sadly as he dipped his paw in the cold water. As he pulled his paw out, he could see small shapes as they darted beneath the waves. He wanted to reach out and try to catch them, but he knew his efforts would be useless.

Suddenly, the reeds behind him rustled. Morningstar's sweet scent washed over Ripplesky, alerting him of her presence.

"Mudfoot said you'd-"

"If you've come here to lecture me, save it. I don't want to hear it." The medicine cat didn't bother to look up.

Morningstar sighed. "I'm so sorry," she whispered as she sat down next to him.

Ripplesky's neck fur bristled slightly. "For what?"

"For everything," Morningstar replied as she glanced at the sky. When Ripplesky didn't respond she continued, "I forced you into one of the hardest positions in the Clan, knowing that you didn't want to do it. It doesn't help that Nightsky is dead, which means your job is much harder. I've completely ruined your life." The dark tortoiseshell hung her head in shame.

He stared at her, shocked. "Thank you for the apology," he whispered, unsure what to say. Part of him wanted to tell her that, yes she had ruined his life, but he felt that was too rude of a thing to say.

"I should have never become leader," Morningstar meowed. "RiverClan has had nothing but tragedy since I took control. Sometimes I feel as if my kin is cursed with misfortune."

"What makes you say that?" Ripplesky questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Morningstar was silent for a long period of time. Finally she replied, "My mother was slain in battle, Nightsky was killed by rogues, and to top it off I'm a failed leader. I'm starting to think StarClan hates my family, but I cannot understand why."

"Bad things happen to everyone," he pointed out, flicking his tail slightly.

"I know, but-"

"I need to tell you something," Ripplesky blurted out. _She deserves to know the truth about the battle._

"What?"

"ThunderClan is going to attack ShadowClan tonight," he told her. "It's going to be a horrible raid, and ShadowClan is going to want reinforcements. You cannot go to their aide," he said, frowning.

Morningstar gave him a surprised look. "How do you know this? And why not? If ShadowClan needs our help, I will do everything I can for them."

"You can't go," Ripplesky insisted, leaping to his paws. "It's too dangerous!" What was the point of being a medicine cat if no one listened to his omens? Couldn't Morningstar see it was far too dangerous to leap into battle for another Clan? _I'm trying to save your life!_

The RiverClan leader gave him a confused look. "All battles are dangerous. What makes this one different?"

He held his tongue, unsure whether or not he should tell Morningstar the truth. _No, it would do no good._ Ripplesky shook his head. "Forget I said anything," he whispered, before turning and padding back towards camp. If StarClan really wanted Morningstar dead, it would happen with or without Ripplesky's help.

* * *

"Help! You've got to help us!"

Leaping out of his nest, Ripplesky charged out into the clearing. In the middle stood an elderly tom, who was covered in wounds.

"Dustbelly!" Sootpelt cried out, rushing up to the old ShadowClan tom. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing here? And what happened to you?"

"ThunderClan attacked us," Dustbelly moaned as he collapsed to the ground.

Ripplesky retreated into his den to get some cobweb. Once he had a good mouthful, he padded up to the old tom's side. As he pressed the white spiderweb to the elder's wounds, he gulped. Dustbelly had been severely wounded, and most likely would not survive.

Morningstar padded up to the tom, a grim expression plastered on her face. "How many cats are there?" she demanded.

"The whole Clan has come to attack us! Even elders and queens!" Dustbelly answered.

Birchtail exchanged a look with Morningstar. "I'll gather up-"

"No," Morningstar growled. "I'm sorry, Dustbelly, but we cannot come to your aide." The dark she-cat looked over at Ripplesky, who nodded slowly.

"You have to come," Dustbelly rasped. "If you don't, ShadowClan will be wiped out! Several of our warriors have already been killed. We cannot fight this battle alone."

Birchtail glared at his leader. "How can you refuse to help?" he spat, the fur along his spine bristling.

"We just can't!" Morningstar argued, flattening her ears to her head.

"If you won't go, I will." Birchtail stalked away, completely ignoring Morningstar's protests.

"Ripplesky." Birchtail's voice alerted the young tom. "I want you to join our patrol. If this battle is as bad as Dustbelly has described, I'm sure Honeyleaf and Willowpaw will need your help."

Ripplesky gulped. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Waveheart meowed, "I don't think that's a good idea. The last time ThunderClan attacked us, one of their apprentices went after him. Those fish-brains are heartless, and they'll do anything to make the kill. It isn't safe for Ripplesky to go into a battle like this."

"Mudfoot and I will keep watch over him," Swanfeather promised the white warrior.

Waveheart looked unconvinced, but did not argue. As soon as Birchtail had assembled a patrol, the RiverClan deputy charged out of camp, the patrol streaming after him. Just as Ripplesky was about to follow them, Morningstar stopped him.

"May StarClan light your path," she murmured, giving him a lick between the ears.

Ripplesky returned the gesture, before racing after his Clanmates. As he ran, he could feel his chest tightening. _I'll never be able to make it without stopping for a breath!_

Swanfeather paused. "Go ahead!" she called out to the patrol. "Ripplesky and I will catch up in a moment." Ripplesky shot her a thankful look, before collapsing onto the ground. As he gulped for air, the silver tom's mind whirled. What would the state of ShadowClan's camp be by the time they arrived?

"Are you ready?" Swanfeather asked after a couple of minutes.

He nodded, slowly standing to his paws. Together, they raced after their Clanmates, ready for the battle. By the time they caught up, the RiverClan patrol was positioned beside the Thunderpath. Birchtail stopped for a moment to allow Ripplesky to catch his breath once more. Once his breathing had returned to normal, the deputy charged onto the black path.

Since it was so late, the Thunderpath was silent allowing for an easy crossing. As they made their way into the pine forest, Ripplesky could hear the shrieks of battle in the distance.

Suddenly, Birchtail came to a halt. "I want to circle the camp, so ThunderClan can't escape. Shellnose, I want you to take Rainfall, Minnowpaw, Brambletail, Lilypelt and Waveheart around the back of the camp. The rest of us will attack from the front. Ripplesky, I want you to go hide in those ferns over there. Once it's safe for you to come out, I'll send Mudfoot to come and get you."

"What about me?" Swanfeather wondered.

"You'll be joining the attack patrol. Ripplesky can take care of himself for right now," Birchtail ordered. "Now get going." As the back patrol slipped around the outskirts of camp, Birchtail and the others gathered around the front wall of camp.

Ripplesky backed into the ferns, his heart racing. There was a high possibility some of these warriors would not be returning home.

"RiverClan warriors, attack!" Birchtail yowled as he leaped over the bramble wall and into the battle.

* * *

 **I apologize for the lack of updates lately. I have just had a lot of problems to deal with in real life, and I haven't been feeling very well lately. I really appreciate all the support you guys have been giving me and my stories. Thank you so much. I will do my best to update again within the next couple of days.**

 **I also apologize for any mistakes. Since my laptop is broken, I have to type on an iPad which isn't the easiest task in the world. Even with a keyboard, mistakes still slip by. I tried to edit this chapter the best I could, but if you see a typo or something please let me know.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Blood chilling cries split the air, causing Ripplesky's stomach to churn nervously. His Clanmates were being hurt, and there was nothing he could do to save them. As the silver tom sat there listening to the battle, he couldn't help but feel like a burden. He had been born with so much potential, but the fire had stolen it all away from him.

Suddenly, the ferns around him began to rustle wildly, causing the medicine cat to jump. "Who's there?" He unsheathed his claws, ready for a fight. Ripplesky then realized it was nothing more than the wind. Giving his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks, he settled back down in his hiding spot.

Every so often, the tom could see dark figures as they fled from camp, yowling in pain. Narrowing his eyes, Ripplesky tried to see if he could recognize any of them, but the pine forest was too dark to make out details.

Just as he thought the battle was reaching its end, a horrified scream sounded in the direction of the Thunderpath. _I know that voice!_ Springing to his paws, the medicine cat trotted in the direction of the cry. As he ran, his heart began pounding like a trapped bird.

He was exposed now, meaning a ThunderClan warrior could attack him at any minute.

To his relief, he reached the area the cry had come from without being attacked. Looking down into a small dip, Ripplesky saw a long limbed ginger warrior standing over a much smaller tabby shape. Within seconds, he recognized Willowpaw. The ShadowClan she-cat squirmed under the warrior's weight, but she wasn't strong enough to free herself.

"Get off me! I'm a medicine cat," Willowpaw begged as she struggled to free herself.

The ginger tom dug his claws in deeper, before whispering into the young she-cat's ear.

Ripplesky let out a growl, before bunching his muscles, ready to help Willowpaw. Just as he was about to leap down into the small dip, a flash of orange fur shot past him, landing onto the ThunderClan tom's back.

The ThunderClan warrior let out a surprised yowl, before falling backwards. Willowpaw shot up, her amber eyes wide with fear. Glancing up the slope she exclaimed, "Ripplesky!"

Bounding down the side of the dip, Ripplesky paused beside his friend. "Are you all right?" he demanded.

She nodded slowly. "I-I think." Willowpaw directed her attention towards the two wrestling warriors behind her. "Cherrynose saved me."

Ripplesky followed her gaze, his stomach churning as he watched Cherrynose fight with the ThunderClan warrior. The ShadowClan deputy was much smaller than her opponent.

Suddenly, the ThunderClan warrior pulled free of Cherrynose's grip and charged up the slope. "You won't get away with this, Amberclaw!" Cherrynose hissed, before pelting after him.

Ripplesky and Willowpaw ran after the deputy, hoping to help out in whatever way possible. As they ran, the silver medicine cat noticed a flash of bright light shining up ahead. Skidding to a halt, he tried to figure out what it was. As quick as lightning, the tom realized it was the shining eyes of a monster as it barreled down the Thunderpath.

"You've got to stop! The Thunderpath!" Ripplesky screamed, his lungs gasping for air.

Cherrynose and Amberclaw were too far away to hear him. The two continued on running, until it was too late. Within seconds of running onto the Thunderpath, a monster knocked into Cherrynose, sending the deputy flying. Amberclaw, who had been a few paces ahead of her, made it safely onto the other side, before disappearing into his own territory.

"Cherrynose!" Willowpaw gasped, running to her Clanmate's side. Ripplesky hesitated on the side of the Thunderpath for a few moments, before running out to help Willowpaw.

To his surprise, Cherrynose was still alive. Her back legs appeared to be broken, and she was covered in blood. "We've got to move her," he told Willowpaw.

Willowpaw frowned, before gently grabbing Cherrynose's scruff. Together, the two medicine cats began to maneuver Cherrynose to safety. As they set the deputy down on the springy grass, she let out a moan.

As Ripplesky watched her, his heart twisted. Even if Cherrynose survived, she would never be able to walk again. Her back legs had been crushed beyond repair, meaning she would have to give up her position to join the elders. _She looks so miserable_. "We should put her out of her misery," he whispered.

Willowpaw stared at him in shock. "You mean... _kill_ her? How could you say such a thing?"

"Just look at her, Willowpaw! She's in so much pain, there's no point in keeping her alive. It's better to end her suffering now than carry her all the way back to camp just to have her die a slow and painful death. Besides, even if she lives she'll never be able to walk again." Ripplesky rested his tail on Willowpaw's shoulders.

Willowpaw jerked away, her eyes watering. "I... I don't know," she sniffled. "Cherrynose? Can you hear me?" If the ShadowClan deputy could hear Willowpaw, she didn't make it apparent. She was probably in too much shock to realize what was going on around her. "I suppose you're right," the light brown tabby breathed out as she looked at Ripplesky. "How are we going to do it?"

Ripplesky hesitated. "We'll have to do it ourselves," he muttered, unsheathing his claws. Slowly, he padded up to Cherrynose's side and placed his paws down on her neck. The deputy groaned, but remained oblivious to what was going on. Taking a deep breath, he sunk his claws down into her neck.

Blood immediately pooled out of the wound, turning the tom's paws red. Memories of killing Nightsky came washing over him, making him sick to his stomach. Trying his best not to gag, Ripplesky sunk his long claws even deeper. Cherrynose gasped and tried to squirm away, but she could not move.

Squeezing his eyes shut, the RiverClan tom just waited for her to go limp under him. He couldn't bare to watch the light die from the deputy's eyes like he had Nightsky.

"She's dead, Ripplesky." Willowpaw pushed him off the deputy's body, tears rolling down her face.

Blinking, he glanced down at the cat he had just killed. Would Cherrynose be mad at him for taking her life? Pushing the thought away, Ripplesky helped Willowpaw haul the dead body back to camp.

"Are you mad at me?" he whispered, afraid to look at Willowpaw.

"No."

The rest of the walk was silent. By the time they reached ShadowClan's camp, the battle was over. As they crept into camp, Ripplesky could see tufts of fur covered in blood scattered across the clearing. A few bodies were sprawled out at the back of camp, causing his stomach to knot up. So many lives had been lost...

"Cherrynose?" Bramblestar raced up to the medicine cats, his green eyes wide with sadness.

"She died saving me," Willowpaw rasped as she slowly laid Cherrynose's dead body down on the ground.

Bramblestar squeezed his eyes shut, before running a paw along his deputy's battered body. "What happened to her?" He asked, his voice so quiet Ripplesky could barely hear.

"Amberclaw broke into the medicine den and started tearing up the herbs. I didn't know where Honeyleaf was, so I tried defending the herb store myself. He was too strong for me, though, and he threw me up against the side of the den. That's when I slipped out the back and started running away..." Willowpaw trailed off as a muffled cry sounded in her throat. Cedarheart pressed against her daughter, before giving her a few comforting licks.

Taking a deep breath, the medicine cat apprentice continued, "I tripped over a bramble, and slid down into a dip. Before I could get away, Amberclaw pinned me to the ground. He told me he was going to kill me, and that's when Cherrynose came to rescue me. She chased Amberclaw onto the Thunderpath, before being hit by a monster."

"We tried to save her, but there was nothing we could do. She died a few moments after we dragged her off the Thunderpath," Ripplesky spoke, the fur along his spine bristling.

Bramblestar hung his head. "Cherrynose was an excellent deputy, and I know she would have been a wonderful leader."

"I will never forget her," Birchtail meowed as he limped up. The RiverClan tom glanced down at the dead ginger she-cat, a look of grief plastered on his face.

Bramblestar hesitated beside Cherrynose's body for a few moments, before yowling, "I must announce a new deputy at once." His green eyes scanned the crowd for a moment, before resting on Dawnfire.

"Dawnfire," he called out. "I say these words before Cherrynose, so that she may hear and approve my choice. You will be the new deputy of ShadowClan."

Dawnfire stood there in complete shock. "I-I'm honored," she finally choked out, dipping her head to her leader.

"Dawnfire! Dawnfire! Dawnfire!" The ShadowClan and RiverClan warriors yowled.

Once the cheering had died down, Birchtail padded over to Ripplesky. "Go help Honeyleaf and Willowpaw," he ordered.

Dipping his head, Ripplesky padded over to the ShadowClan medicine cats. "How can I help you?" he questioned.

"Take this cobweb to Plumfur and Stormsky," Honeyleaf said, flicking her tail in the direction of two warriors.

Grasping the cobweb in his jaws, the silver tom padded over towards Plumfur and Stormsky. The ShadowClan cats were both laying on their sides, panting. "Where are you hurt?" Ripplesky asked them.

"I have a bad wound on my leg," Stormsky rasped, holding out his front right leg. Stretching the cobweb out, Ripplesky began to wrap the wound. Once he was done, he moved over to Plumfur.

After caring for the wounded warriors, Ripplesky plopped down on the ground, exhausted. Glancing up at the sky, he noticed the sun was slowly rising, covering the pine forest in pale orange light.

"Are you ready to go?" Birchtail whispered. The deputy's eyes were swollen and red from a lack of sleep.

Slowly, Ripplesky stood to his paws. "Yes," he responded as he limped over to the camp entrance. His entire body was aching, and he felt sick to his stomach.

"Thank you for all your help." Honeyleaf dipped her head to Ripplesky.

"It's nothing. If you need to borrow any herbs, just let me know." Suddenly, Ripplesky realized his paws were still covered in Cherrynose's blood. To his relief, Willowpaw was coated in blood as well, meaning no cat would suspect a thing. _They'll probably just think I stepped in her blood when I pulled her off the Thunderpath._

"May StarClan light your path!" Birchtail meowed as he slipped out of camp. The long walk back to camp was silent. The RiverClan warriors were too exhausted to speak. They just wanted to get home and curl up in their nests.

When they reached the Twoleg bridge, the sun was high in the sky. The bright light burned Ripplesky's eyes, causing him to squint.

"It won't be long until we're home," Waveheart whispered to his son as they pushed their way into the reeds. "I'm very proud of you," his father added, before giving him a lick on the ear.

The silver tom let out a rusty purr. "Thanks," he rasped before slipped through the camp entrance. Before any cat could interrupt him, Ripplesky darted into the safety of his den and curled up. His entire body was sore from last night's events, so all he wanted to do was sleep.

Within seconds of falling asleep, the medicine cat found himself in the familiar StarClan clearing he had gone so many times before.

"I ought to rip your throat out!" Silverhawk spat, unsheathing his claws. As the ragged warrior stalked over towards Ripplesky, Snowdust stopped him.

"That's enough!" The white she-cat spat, her eyes narrowed. Turning to face Ripplesky she growled, "Why did you disobey our orders? You were supposed to kill Morningstar!"

"I couldn't do it," Ripplesky said defiantly, puffing out his chest.

Snowdust snorted. "You're a joke." She began to circle him, her tail lashing back and forth.

"That's what I said," Silverhawk growled, before smirking a bit.

Snowdust shot him an angry glance, before raking her claws across Ripplesky's shoulder. The silver tom winced in pain, but did his best to remain calm. He couldn't allow them to know he was scared.

"You don't scare me," he growled hotly, flattening his ears to his head.

Snowdust chuckled. "Your fear scent says otherwise." Without warning, she leaped onto him, knocking him to the ground. Ripplesky kicked up with his back legs, before rolling free from Snowdust's grip. As the two cats wrestled, the medicine cat could feel his chest tightening up. _Oh no!_

Using this to her advantage, Snowdust lunged forward and pinned Ripplesky down by the neck. Silverhawk raced to her side, and held down the silver tom's legs. He squirmed under the weight of the StarClan cats, but it was useless. As Snowdust hurled insults at him, Ripplesky could feel his lungs burning for oxygen.

"Can't... Breath," he choked out.

"What's that? You can't breath? How's _this_!" Snowdust dug her claws deeper into his neck, cutting off the last remaining air he had.

Just as things were about to fade to black, Snowdust and Silverhawk's weight disappeared. _Am I dead?_

Coughing, Ripplesky sat up. His mind was whirling, and he didn't know what to do. Suddenly, he realized Snowdust and Silverhawk had been attacked by a familiar dark pelt.

"Nightsky!" he rasped, his eyes wide.

Nightsky glanced back at him, before returning her attention back to the fight. "Run, Ripplesky!" she ordered as she gave Silverhawk another blow to the muzzle.

Ripplesky darted into the undergrowth, ignoring the pain in his chest. He couldn't stop to catch his breath, or wonder how Nightsky had come to his rescue. Suddenly, the undergrowth behind him started rustling.

"It's just me!" Nightsky told him as she pelted past him.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ripplesky continued on. As they ran, the scenery around them began to change. The once beautiful forest was now dark and smelled like rotting flesh. The ground underpaw was coated in slime, and ragged brambles trailed across the forest path, tripping him up.

Finally, they reached a dazzling light border. It was so bright, Ripplesky had to look away.

"Come on!" Nightsky yowled as she disappeared into the light. Ripplesky paused for a few seconds, before following after her. At first, the young tom stumbled blindly through the light, before collapsing in soft grass. Blinking up, he realized he was in a beautiful forest, much like the one from earlier.

"W-What is this place?"

"This is StarClan's territory," Nightsky explained, taking a seat beside him.

"But I thought-"

"Those cats tricked you, Ripplesky. They aren't StarClan cats at all; they're from the Dark Forest."

"The Dark Forest?" he echoed, surprised. _Of course_! He realized with a jolt. No StarClan cat would ever behave the way Snowdust, Silverhawk and the others had. They were far too aggressive. _I can't believe I was so stupid._

The two medicine cats sat there in silence, before Nightsky blurted out, "Why did you kill me?"

"I-I had to," Ripplesky choked out. How could she bring this up now? Didn't she realize how shocked and upset he was?

"Whatever," his former mentor spat. "What's done is done. But don't think I've forgiven you just because I saved you. I will never forgive you for taking my life. _Ever_!" Nightsky barred her teeth in a snarl, before stalking off into the undergrowth.

Ripplesky watched her go, a growl rising up in his throat. He didn't want Nightsky's forgiveness. She deserved to die.

Blinking, Ripplesky realized he was back in his den. As he sat up in his nest, a pain shot through his shoulder. Glancing down, he noticed a deep cut where Snowdust had clawed him. _How can this be?_ he thought in shock.

"R-Ripplesky...?" a voice croaked.

Looking up, the silver tom noticed Mudfoot standing there. The dark tabby had a horrified expression on his face, and he was shaking violently. "You look like you've saw the ghost of One Eye!" Ripplesky chuckled.

Mudfoot opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Finally the RiverClan tom muttered, "I saw you kill Cherrynose."

* * *

 **Thanks so much for all the reviews! I had a ton of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you will all enjoy it. Since I ended with such a big cliffhanger, I will try my best to update as soon as I can. Also, in case this confused anyone. Nightsky has always been in StarClan. The Dark Forest cats only said she was in the Dark Forest as a way to maipulate and trick Ripplesky into believing that they were from StarClan. This will not be the last time we see Nightsky, either. Many other questions will be touched upon later in the story regaurding her and other dead characters.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Ripplesky's eyes widened in surprise. "Y-You what?" he finally choked out.

"I saw you kill Cherrynose," Mudfoot repeated, flattening his ears to his head. The tom's eyes were filled with sadness and anger. "Why did you kill her? Medicine cats are supposed to be gentle and caring, not heartless killers!"

A loud growl came from Ripplesky's throat. _How dare he call me a heartless killer!_ "It was the right thing to do," the silver tom replied, trying to remain calm. "The impact from the monster crushed both of her back legs, meaning she would never be able to live a normal life. It would have been cruel to keep her alive in such horrible conditions."

Mudfoot narrowed his eyes. "So if Splashflower had been run over like that, you would kill her? What about Waveheart and Minnowpaw? Would you kill them too?" Mudfoot's neck fur was bristling now.

Ripplesky lashed his tail back and forth. "Leave!" he ordered, unsheathing his claws.

The dark tabby snorted. "You don't scare me," he muttered, before backing out of the den.

As the young tom watched him go, his heart began to beat wildly in his chest. What if Mudfoot told Morningstar? He would be exiled for sure. Ripplesky's heart grew heavy as he realized he had no choice but to kill Mudfoot. As he paced back and forth across his den, Ripplesky wondered how he would be able to carry out his plan.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea came crashing down on the silver medicine cat. _I can blame ThunderClan for his death!_ Tensions were so high with the enemy that his Clanmates would have no choice but to believe ThunderClan had killed Mudfoot. The only problem now was figuring out how to lure the dark warrior onto ThunderClan's territory.

After a while of plotting, Ripplesky's stomach growled with hunger. Pushing his thoughts away, he padded out into the clearing and headed towards the prey pile. As he passed Morningstar, his heart beat quickened.

"Are you okay? You look a bit ill," Morningstar meowed, her eyes full of concern.

 _She doesn't know_. "No, I'm fine." Before she could ask any more questions, Ripplesky snatched up a trout and headed for the safety of his den. As he walked, he could sense Mudfoot glaring at him from the opposite end of camp.

Sighing, the silver medicine cat curled up in his nest and began to chew on his fish. As he ate, his mind swirled with everything that had happened the last couple of moons: the fire, Nightsky's death, the Dark Forest...

"How did this happen to me?" he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.

* * *

"Mudfoot, I want you to take a border patrol towards Sunningrocks. Take Waveheart, Rainfall and Swanfeather with you," Birchtail ordered, before padding over to Pebblestripe.

As Ripplesky watched the border patrol leave, his heart rate increased. _Today's the day,_ he decided as he slowly followed the patrol out of camp. Suddenly, some pebbles crunched under paw, causing the silver tom to wince. _Oh no!_

"Did you hear that?" Rainfall questioned, sniffing the air.

"It's probably just the reeds rustling in the wind," Waveheart told her. As the patrol continued towards the river, the warriors made small talk amongst themselves.

"Morningstar says Reedkit and Frogkit are going to be apprenticed later today," Swanfeather commented.

"Thank StarClan! This has been the slowest year for kits ever, so it will be good to have some new apprentices. We certainly need all the warriors we can get, with ThunderClan behaving the way they are. Who do you think their mentors will be?" Rainfall questioned.

Mudfoot's eyes gleamed. "Morningstar promised me Frogkit," he confessed.

"That's wonderful!" Waveheart purred.

Mudfoot opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. The dark tabby then began to sniff at the reeds. "ThunderClan has been trespassing here," he growled.

Swanfeather's gaze darkened. "Those fish-hearts! Haven't they caused enough trouble already?"

Ripplesky smirked. Things were working out better than he had hoped. _This will be easy_ , he thought as he stalked closer to the patrol.

"What should we do?" his father wondered.

Mudfoot flicked his tail. "We should split up."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Rainfall argued, flattening her ears to her head.

The dark brown tabby gave her a stern look. "We'll make too much noise if we travel together. It'll be a lot faster and we'll cover more ground if we split up."

Rainfall hesitated for a few moments, before disappearing into the reeds. Swanfeather and Waveheart followed after her without saying anything.

Now alone, Mudfoot continued to sniff around at the area, hoping to pick up more traces of the ThunderClan cats. Suddenly, Mudfoot began walking in the direction of the stepping stones. _Is he going to cross the river?_ Ripplesky wondered.

Bunching his muscles, Mudfoot leaped onto the first stone. He landed clumsily, and slid into the water. _What in the name of StarClan is he doing?_ As Ripplesky watched, he couldn't figure out what Mudfoot's motives were. Why didn't he just swim across the river? Why was he crossing the river anyways? _He's making this way too easy._

Once Mudfoot was out of sight on the opposite bank, Ripplesky cautiously padded up to the waters edge. Taking a deep breath, he leaped onto the first stone. The water lapped at his paws, almost dragging him into the river. Once he had a good grip, the silver tom leaped to the next stone, and then the next. Finally, he was on ThunderClan's land.

As he ventured into the undergrowth where Mudfoot had disappeared, the strong scent of the enemy came crashing down upon him. As he padded deeper into the forest, he spotted Mudfoot marking his territory on a clump of brambles.

"That's not a very smart idea," Ripplesky commented, smirking.

Mudfoot's head shot up, his eyes wide with fear. When he recognized Ripplesky, he immediately relaxed. "Oh, it's just you. What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. With tensions so high right now, I don't think it's a good idea to just wander into the heart of ThunderClan's territory and start taking it as your own." Ripplesky's blue eyes gleamed as he watched Mudfoot.

The dark warrior puffed out his chest. The tabby tom then opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it in frustration. Slowly, Ripplesky stalked closer to Mudfoot. As he corned his Clanmate, a surge of energy pulsed through his body. The young medicine cat had never felt anything like it, not even while killing Nightsky. He felt invincible, as if he could do anything and not be harmed.

"What are you doing?" Mudfoot gulped, noticing the wild look in the medicine cat's eyes.

"I wish it didn't have to come to this," Ripplesky meowed, ignoring the question, "but I can't let you live, not after you saw me kill Cherrynose. It's far too risky and I'm afraid I can't trust you."

Mudfoot's breathing quickened. "I-I was just kidding about Cherrynose. I didn't see anything," he choked out. The warrior desperately looked for an escape route, but Ripplesky had him cornered up against a gigantic oak.

"It's too late for that," Ripplesky hissed, unsheathing his claws. Before Mudfoot could react, he lashed out at the tabby warrior's throat.

Mudfoot let out a shriek as blood came gushing out of the wound. Narrowing his eyes, he clawed at Ripplesky's face, trying to blind the medicine cat. Ripplesky hissed in pain as Mudfoot's claw ripped the skin beside his left eye, but he continued the attack. He could not let Mudfoot get away! His entire body pulsed with fury as he fought against his Clanmate. Suddenly, a red haze seemed to come over Ripplesky, sending him away from reality.

When the fury subsided, Ripplesky blinked his eyes open. _What happened?_ hewondered _,_ his entire body shaking. Suddenly, he let out a yowl of horror. Blood was splattered everywhere: on the undergrowth, on the trees, and most importantly all over him. Slowly, he looked down to see Mudfoot's dead body completely covered in blood. A sharp branch was impaled in the tom's throat, sending blood out in waves. _D-Did I do that?_ Ripplesky thought in horror. _But I don't remember doing that. W-What's going on?_

Slowly, he began to back away from the body. He had been so consumed by rage that he couldn't even remember what he had done! _I really am a monster_ , he thought, his throat tightening. Tears welled up in his eyes as he headed back towards the river. Not even bothering to leap the stepping stones, Ripplesky clumsily splashed into the water and did his best to swim across.

As he climbed out on shore, tears were falling down the sides of his face. He hadn't planned on killing Mudfoot like that. It was a death he couldn't even wish on Nightsky. "Help," he rasped, collapsing to the ground.

After what felt like an entire moon, a patrol made up of Shellnose, Brambletail and Morningstar padded up. Morningstar immediately rushed to the medicine cat's side, her amber eyes wide with horror. "Ripplesky, what happened to you?" she cried out.

"Mudfoot," Ripplesky cried out, unable to meet his leader's gaze. "H-He..."

"He's what?" Morningstar demanded. "Tell me!"

"Dead." The air filled with silence as the patrol stared at Ripplesky in shock.

"Y-You're joking, right?" Brambletail whispered. She was Mudfoot's sister, so Ripplesky wasn't surprised when she took the news the hardest.

"ThunderClan killed him," Ripplesky whispered, slowly standing to his paws. "I was out collecting herbs, when I heard shrieks coming from across the river. I had a bad feeling in my stomach, so I went to investigate. An entire patrol had ganged up on Mudfoot. I-I tried to save him, but..." he trailed off as he tried to think of a ThunderClan cat, "but Redheart attacked me. I only barely made it out alive."

Morningstar frowned. "We've got to put an end to this!" She growled, before slipping into the river. Brambletail and Shellnose followed after her. Ripplesky hesitated for a few moments, before reluctantly following after them.

When they reached ThunderClan territory, Morningstar followed the scent of blood that lead her straight to Mudfoot. Gathered around him was a large patrol of ThunderClan warriors, with Redheart at the lead.

"Murderers!" the RiverClan leader hissed, her pelt bristling.

Redheart looked up, his eyes wide. "You think we did this?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"Who else could have done this? Your paws are covered in blood! Not to mention, this _is_ your territory," Brambletail spat, unsheathing her claws.

Duskfur stepped forward. "We didn't kill him!" the ThunderClan tom insisted.

"Why should we believe you after all the trouble you've caused?" Shellnose demanded. "You've done nothing but terrorize the forest for seasons, and we're sick of it. You're going to pay for this, mark my words!" Glaring at the patrol, Shellnose grabbed Mudfoot's dead body by the scruff and began hauling it towards the river.

Morningstar and Brambletail slipped into place behind him, each supporting the body on their shoulders. As Ripplesky followed after them, his stomach churned. He could tell this was going to be the start of a long and hostile battle no cat would ever forget. Even more lives would be lost, and it would be all his fault.

* * *

 **I'm sorry I haven't updated for a few weeks. I had a bit of a writer's block, and I've been busy. My seventeenth birthday was last Friday (the 29th) so I was out celebrating. I also apologize that this chapter was short. I was going to continue on with the apprentice ceremony, but I decided to hold it off until the next chapter. Hopefully the next update will come quicker. I have that chapter planned out, so I shouldn't have trouble writing it. Thank you for all the support and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Thunder rumbled above head as Morningstar leaped onto her den. "Let all cats gather immediately." There was an edge in her voice, one Ripplesky had never heard before. "Hurry up!" she snapped, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Morningstar, what's going on?" Puddlefur questioned.

"ThunderClan killed Mudfoot," came Brambletail's weak reply. Shellnose, Frogkit, and Reedkit pressed against the tabby she-cat, trying to comfort her.

"Those fish-hearts!" Pebblestripe gasped, narrowing his eyes. Glancing at Lilypelt he yowled, "We need to attack them immediately. They can't get away with this."

Morningstar flicked her tail in annoyance. "Trust me, they won't." The tortoiseshell leader was silent for a few heartbeats, before slithering down from the top of her den. "We will strike tonight, with every warrior we have." Spinning around to face Frogkit and Reedkit she growled, "We need them for the battle."

Brambletail's eyes widened. "They're only kits!"

"Not for much longer," the RiverClan leader grumbled. "Frogkit, from this moment forward you shall be known as Frogpaw. Rainfall shall be your mentor. Reedkit, you shall be known as Reedpaw. Waveheart will mentor you."

The two apprentices exchanged worried glances, before padding up to their mentors to touch noses. No cat cheered, as they were too stunned. Morningstar had never given such an informal ceremony before.

"Take them training immediately," Morningstar ordered, flicking her tail in the direction of the training area.

Waveheart hesitated for a few moments, before leading Reedpaw away. Rainfall and Frogpaw followed after them, fear scent coming off of them in waves. As Ripplesky watched them go, his stomach churned nervously. _What is Morningstar thinking? They're too young to be fighting in such a serious battle._

"I don't think it would be wise to bring them into such a battle," Birchtail murmured.

Morningstar glared at him. "Have you forgotten that I'm leader, Birchtail?" she snarled.

Birchtail blinked in surprise. "O-Of course not," he stammered.

"Then why are you arguing with me?"

"I'm not. I'm just trying to advise you," Birchtail growled, clearly growing annoyed with his leader.

"I don't need your advice," the tortoiseshell she-cat hissed, stalking in the direction of her den. Spinning around to face her Clanmates she yowled, "Mudfoot will be avenged if it's the last thing I do!"

* * *

"Ripplesky?" Reedpaw's shy voice alerted Ripplesky.

The medicine cat looked up from the pile of yarrow he had been sorting through. "Come in," he called, returning his attention towards the herbs.

Reedpaw nodded, and slowly padded into the den. Fear scent was coming off her in waves, and her neck fur was bristling. "Are there any herbs for fear?" she questioned, shuffling her paws in the sand.

Ripplesky shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Are you scared?"

"I'm terrified," she confessed, meeting his gaze. "Just this morning I was a kit, and now I'm going to be heading into my first battle. Waveheart is a great mentor and all, but I don't think I know enough yet. What if my brother and I get killed?" Tears welled up in Reedpaw's eyes as she spoke. "I don't want to die."

A pang of sadness filled his heart. "You'll be fine," he murmured, trying to comfort the young apprentice.

"You really think so?" Reedpaw questioned.

He nodded.

The young she-cat gave him a quick smile. "Thank you." Before she could say anything else, Morningstar's sharp yowl sounded from the clearing. Flattening her ears to her head she gulped, "It looks like it's time for the battle. I'd better go."

Together, the two cats padded out into the clearing. Ripplesky's heart beat increased as he scanned all the warriors that would be attending the battle. His eyes widened when he noticed Sootpelt among the gathered warriors. Was Morningstar bringing every RiverClan cat into the battle?

"We must attack them with all of our might," the leader announced, her tail held high in the air. "We will make them pay for what they have done, not just to Mudfoot, but to every Clan in the forest. They will pay for their crimes."

"For RiverClan!" Birchtail cheered.

"RiverClan! RiverClan! RiverClan!" the warriors cheered in unison, before slipping out of camp after their leader. As Ripplesky followed them, a feeling of guilt came crashing down on him. Innocent cats would die tonight, and it would be all his fault. _No!_ a voice in his head reminded him. _Mudfoot_ had _to die, just like Nightsky._ Narrowing his eyes, Ripplesky continued on in the direction of ThunderClan's camp.

As they crossed the stepping stones, heavy rain began to fall from the sky, soaking their sleek pelts. "I can't wait to sink my claws into Redheart's spine," Shellnose growled.

"I'll help you," Briarpelt agreed. "Last battle, that fox-heart ripped a chunk of fur from my tail, and it still hasn't grown back."

"Be quiet!" Birchtail scolded in a hushed voice. "ThunderClan will hear us coming a mile away if you keep chattering on."

Shellnose flicked his tail in annoyance, but said nothing.

As they crossed into the forest, a feeling of dread overcame Ripplesky. ThunderClan's territory at night reminded him of the Dark Forest. He hadn't dreamed of that wretched place since Nightsky had come to rescue him. _I hope I never see Snowdust or the others again. They'd probably skin my pelt._ Pushing the thoughts away, Ripplesky continued on through the forest.

Suddenly, Morningstar came to a halt beside the edge of the gorge. She crouched to the ground, before flicking her tail, ordering the others to do the same. As Ripplesky crouched in the undergrowth, his heart pounded wildly. He knew he would have to stay behind, but adrenaline pumped through his veins. All his guilt from earlier was gone.

The RiverClan leader then leaped to her paws before yowling, "RiverClan, attack!" Like a stream of fish, the cats poured down the side of the gorge. The clearing below filled with screeching cats. As Ripplesky watched them, his eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

He then scanned the clearing for Frogpaw and Reedpaw, before spotting them battling against a black-and-white tom. Despite their lack of skills, the apprentices were fighting well. _I wonder if Minnowpaw and I would fight like that,_ he wondered, before looking for his sister. When he didn't spot her, his heart beat quickened. _Where could she be?_

There!

Minnowpaw was locked in battle with a gray tabby apprentice. The gray tabby pulled free, and started racing across the clearing. Minnowpaw charged after her, before leaping onto her back. The apprentice let out a surprised yowl, before rolling onto her back, crushing Minnowpaw. The RiverClan apprentice squirmed under her weight, but could not free herself. Before the ThunderClan cat could attack, Splashflower barreled into her side, knocking her off Minnowpaw. Together, the mother and daughter worked together to fight the apprentice. As Ripplesky watched, his heart swelled with pride. He loved watching his family working together.

A sudden wave of envy came crashing down on him. _I should be down there fighting!_

"Enjoying the show?" a cocky voice sounded.

Spinning around, Ripplesky spotted a brown tabby tom slither from the undergrowth. It was the same cat who had attacked him all those moons ago. Ripplesky wasn't sure, but he believed the tom was named Leafblaze. "You," he snarled, unsheathing his claws.

Leafblaze's eyes widened. "You remember me? I guess that's not such a surprise, considering I sent you running towards the nursery with your tail between your legs!"

Ripplesky narrowed his blue eyes, a growl rising up in his throat. "And I guess you couldn't forget me either, considering my father beat you to a pulp."

"Your daddy isn't here to save you this time," Leafblaze taunted, slowly circling around Ripplesky.

"I don't need my father to protect me anymore," the medicine cat yowled, before leaping onto the ThunderClan tom. Leafblaze staggered to the ground, surprised at the sudden attack. _I'm much stronger than him now,_ Ripplesky thought as he battered Leafblaze's muzzle. _And I weigh more too, meaning he'll have a harder time getting free._ Suddenly, Leafblaze went limp under the silver tom's grip.

Stepping back, Ripplesky's stomach began to churn nervously. _Did I kill him?_

The undergrowth rustled as a pretty brown tabby she-cat stepped out. When she noticed Leafblaze, her eyes widened in horror. She rushed to her Clanmates side, tears welling in her eyes. After a few moments, she sat back with a sigh of relief. "He's still alive."

A few moments later, Leafblaze opened his eyes. "Brackenfur?" he whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you run out of camp, and I wanted to check to see if you were okay," Brackenfur responded, fear edging her mew. Glancing at Ripplesky she pleaded, "You're a medicine cat, right? Will you please treat his wounds?"

"I don't need help," Leafblaze spat as he tried to stand to his paws. As he placed weight on his hind legs, he collapsed to the ground, hissing.

"I don't help the enemy anyways, especially after they murdered my Clanmate," Ripplesky hissed, his neck fur bristling.

Brackenfur stared at him in astonishment. Turning back to her Clanmate she whispered, "Come on, let's take you to Acornleaf. You're pretty beat up."

Leafblaze staggered to his paws, before leaning against Brackenfur's shoulder. Together they limped down the side of the gorge. The she-cat suddenly paused, before glancing back at Ripplesky. Narrowing her eyes she spat, "You're a monster!"

As Ripplesky watched them go, his blood boiled with anger. _How dare they!_ Lashing his tail, he settled down in his spot and began to lick his wounds. _Who cares what they say?_ he told himself as he draped his tongue across a nasty shoulder wound. _I'm RiverClan's medicine cat; I shouldn't be expected to look after ThunderClan as well. Besides, they don't deserve my help after everything they've done. Who cares if they lose a warrior or two tonight?_

Once he was calm, he directed his attention back towards the battle. In the middle of the clearing, Morningstar and Ravenstar were circling each other, their teeth barred in a snarl. Suddenly, Morningstar leaped at Ravenstar, knocking the ThunderClan leader to the ground. The two leaders wrestled on the ground for a few minutes, before Ravenstar pulled away. Morningstar lunged for the dark pelted leader once more, but this time Ravenstar was prepared. The ThunderClan leader quickly dodged the attack, before leaping onto the tortoiseshell she-cat's back. Morningstar wriggled under her weight, but could not shake Ravenstar off. Before Morningstar could react, Ravenstar lunged down and grabbed her neck. In one swift movement, she pulled back on the RiverClan leader's neck.

A loud _crack!_ echoed across the clearing, making every cat stop dead in their tracks. Ripplesky's eyes widened as he watched Morningstar's body fall limp to the ground, her head laying at an awkward angle. As quick as he could, he scrambled down the side of the gorge and stood over his leader's body. As he checked for any signs of breathing, his heart stopped at the sudden realization.

Morningstar was dead.

"You killed her," he choked out, his eyes wide with fear.

Ravenstar gave him an annoyed look. "She was asking for it. Now get out of my camp at once!"

Birchtail limped forward, his eyes dull with grief. "First your warriors murder Mudfoot, and now Morningstar? You're a disgusting excuse for a cat," he snarled, looking ready to attack the ThunderClan leader.

"I said get out," Ravenstar repeated, before directing her attention towards Redheart. "Have a patrol escort them towards the border. Make sure every RiverClan warrior leaves, and if you catch them on our land you are to kill them immediately."

Birchtail barred his teeth in a snarl, before scooping Morningstar's lifeless body up in his jaws. As he carried her towards the camp entrance, her neck hung at an awkward angle, making her look like a piece of prey. The RiverClan cats followed after their new leader, too stunned to say anything. As they climbed up the ravine, Ripplesky's throat tightened.

"Morningstar walks with StarClan now," Swanfeather murmured, stepping into place beside him.

Ripplesky nodded numbly, too upset to speak. While he had never been too fond of Morningstar, he felt as if her death was all his fault. She had gone into battle thinking she was avenging Mudfoot, when that was quite the opposite. _He_ had killed Mudfoot, not ThunderClan. Morningstar had died for nothing.

When they reached the river, the ThunderClan patrol stepped back. "We'll be watching you," Redheart threatened.

"You don't scare me," Briarpelt retorted, lashing his tail back and forth. Before Redheart could do anything, Splashflower nudged Briarpelt forward onto the first stepping stone.

When they reached camp, Birchtail slowly carried Morningstar's body over towards the medicine cat's den. Ripplesky slowly followed after him, his eyes drooping from fatigue.

"Place her over here," Ripplesky ordered as he began sorting through his herbs. Gripping the rosemary and lavender in his jaws, he limped towards his dead leader's body. Birchtail sat beside her, his eyes filled with grief.

"She was expecting my kits," he whispered so quietly Ripplesky barely heard him.

The silver tom took a step back, surprised. " _What_?" he gasped, glancing towards Morningstar's stomach. To his dismay, he noticed that her stomach bulged out slightly, a sign of pregnancy. "Why didn't either of you tell me?"

"Morningstar didn't want everyone to worry about her," the grayish-brown tom explained, squeezing his eyes shut. "I told her to take it easy, but she didn't listen to me."

 _I can't believe I didn't notice,_ Ripplesky thought as he rubbed rosemary and lavender on her stiffening body. "May StarClan light their paths," the medicine cat murmured, his heart aching. Birchtail was a good cat. He didn't deserve to have this happen to him.

Once the body had been prepared, the two toms gently carried her out into the clearing. From there, they arranged her limbs to make it seem as if Morningstar was sleeping.

"She was a great leader," Pebblestripe whispered, dipping his head.

"She was a great mentor, too," Puddlefur put in, his eyes tearing up. "I'll never forget the time she took me squirrel hunting. I got stuck in a tree, and had to have half the Clan come get me down!" A quick smile crossed his face, before he let out a sigh. "Rest in peace, old friend."

One by one, the Clan gathered around Morningstar's body to say goodbye. Ripplesky noticed Birchtail was hanging back.

"Aren't you going to say your respects?" he questioned.

Birchtail shook his head. "I'll see her at my nine lives ceremony," he meowed, not meeting Ripplesky's gaze.

Of course! He had completely forgotten about Birchtail's nine lives ceremony. "Are you ready to go?"

"We'll leave tomorrow morning. I don't feel good right now," came the tom's quiet reply. Slowly, he limped in the direction of the warriors den, before disappearing inside.

* * *

 **I apologize for not updating in almost a month. I've been very depressed, and I've had to deal with some health issues. Luckily it's nothing too serious, but I've just lacked any motivation to update. It didn't help that half way through writing this, the website glitched and I lost all my progress, even though I had saved several times prior. It made me furious, especially since I had worked so hard. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it. No promises, but I'll try to update quickly. Also, I know in the canon timeline, Birchstar of RiverClan was female. When I first started writing this story, I wasn't really planning on fitting it in with the canon timeline. I had already created Birchtail though, so when I learned there was a Birchstar of RiverClan who fit the timeline perfectly, I decided to roll with it.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Pale morning sunlight streamed into the medicine den, waking Ripplesky. He slowly sat up in his nest and stretched, before remembering that Morningstar was dead.

As he padded out into the clearing, the medicine cat saw the dead leader's body had already been moved. _Sootpelt must have buried her already,_ he realized. Glancing around the clearing, the silver tom tried to spot Birchtail. They needed to leave as soon as possible.

As if she could read his mind, Rainfall called out, "He's still asleep. We didn't want to disturb him."

Giving her a nod of thanks, Ripplesky headed towards the warriors den. Inside, Birchtail was curled in a tight ball, his tail tucked over his nose. "Wake up," the medicine cat meowed, prodding Birchtail in the ribs.

Birchtail lifted his head, blinking away sleep. "What time is it?" he yawned, scrambling to his paws.

"It's dawn," Ripplesky replied, flicking his tail. "We need to get going. It's a long trip to the Moonstone."

Birchtail let out a sigh, before heading out into the clearing. Without saying a word to their Clanmates, the two toms left camp and began heading in the direction of the Twoleg bridge. Frost brushed against Ripplesky's long fur, making him wince. "The first snowfall of the year isn't that far off," he commented quietly.

"I know." Birchtail didn't look at him. Instead, the soon-to-be leader just picked up the pace.

Once they crossed the bridge, they began the trek through the steep moorland. Ripplesky's throat began to tighten, a sign he would have to stop and rest. "I need to rest," he panted.

Birchtail dipped his head, before sitting down. Ripplesky joined him, his chest heaving. _Stupid lungs!_

"Are you okay?" Birchtail asked, his eyes filled with concern.

He nodded. "Yeah, just give me a few minutes."

As he sat there catching his breath, the tall grass around them began to rustle. A few seconds later, a WindClan patrol stepped out. In the lead was Hareflight, followed by Badgerstrike and Poppywhisker. "We heard about Morningstar," Hareflight told them, her eyes glistening with grief. "We're very sorry for your loss."

"How did you find out?" Ripplesky asked, stunned. It was barely dawn! How did WindClan know of RiverClan's business so early in the morning?

"We heard a ThunderClan apprentice bragging about it when we were checking the border," Poppywhisker explained. "They said Ravenstar killed her in battle. Is that true?"

The medicine cat nodded. "Yes, it's true." _Should I say something about Mudfoot?_ After a few seconds he blurted out, "They killed Mudfoot, too."

Badgerstrike's eyes widened. "What we we going to do about ThunderClan?" she whispered, her eyes dark. Glancing at her Clanmates she meowed, "I think we should report back to Swiftstar. Good luck, you two. Especially you, Birchtail. May StarClan light your paths!"

The three WindClan she-cats disappeared in the grass, leaving Birchtail and Ripplesky alone. "Are you ready now?" Birchtail questioned, flicking his tail.

Ripplesky nodded, standing to his paws.

* * *

When they reached Highstones, the sun was sinking in the sky. As the two toms hobbled up the steep mountain side, Ripplesky winced. Sharp stones dug into his paw pads, drawing blood. _It won't be long now,_ he reminded himself as he stopped for another rest.

Birchtail sat beside him, panting. The RiverClan tom had a blank expression on his face, leaving Ripplesky to believe he was lost in thought. "I wish we could eat something. I'm starving."

"Me too," the medicine cat agreed. "I'd like to know what fish-brain decided new leaders aren't allowed to eat on their way to Highstones. They deserve a good cuff around the ear!"

Birchtail smiled a bit, but said nothing. After a few minutes of silence he meowed, "I wonder who will give me my nine lives."

"I'm sure Morningstar will give you a life," Ripplesky replied, "and your family, too."

"My family." A large smile spread across Birchtail's face. "I haven't seen my family in seasons. It will be nice to see them again, along with Tawnyheart. I really hope I see her again."

Ripplesky gave him a confused look. "Tawnyheart? Is she your sister?"

Birchtail shook his head. "No, she was my mentor. She died from greencough shortly after I received my warrior name. I was devastated. It was the first time I lost a cat close to me. I imagine you know how it feels, loosing Nightsky so early and all." The gray-brown tom let out a quick sigh as he reminisced in old memories. "I don't know how you're able to remain so strong, Ripplesky. You have the weight of the entire Clan on your shoulders, but you don't seem bothered by it at all. I'm seasons older than you, and I still don't think I can handle being RiverClan's leader."

Ripplesky glanced down at his paws, unsure what to say. _No, I don't know how it feels. I was glad when Nightsky died,_ he thought bitterly, unsheathing his claws. "It's tough but I can handle it," he drawled out slowly.

"Do you hold a grudge against Morningstar?" Birchtail questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"For forcing you to become a medicine cat," he explained. "I know you wanted to be a warrior. Do you still feel the same way?"

The silver tom shrugged. "I'll never stop wanting to be a warrior," he answered. "I even wanted to be a leader. I _still_ want to be leader, but it will never happen now." His neck fur began to bristle. Why did Birchtail have to bring this up now? Didn't he realize it was a sensitive subject?

Birchtail's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't mean to upset you," he quickly apologized. "You know what? Let's just get going. By the time we reach the Moonstone, it'll be night."

Grunting, Ripplesky stood to his paws. Without saying anything to Birchtail, he padded into Mothermouth. Despite the fact he had been here several times before, an eerie feeling swept over the medicine cat. He always felt vulnerable in the dark, long-winding tunnels. As he walked, he could feel his whiskers brush against the smooth stone walls. Birchtail's pawsteps echoed behind him, spooking Ripplesky slightly.

"It's just me," Birchtail called out.

 _I know,_ Ripplesky thought, biting his tongue. Why did every cat seem to treat him as if he were a dumb kit? Was it because he was a medicine cat, or was it because of his breathing problems? Either way, it annoyed him to no end. _I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself. Besides, I'm a medicine cat so that makes me special._

Finally, the tunnel opened up into a large, dark cave. Just as Birchtail had predicted, it was nightfall.

"It won't be long until the moon rises," Ripplesky explained, making his way towards the Moonstone. As he curled up beside the freezing stone, he squeezed his eyes shut, anticipating for when the blinding moonlight would fill the cave.

After a few minutes, the moon positioned itself over the hole in the cave. Bright moonlight bounced off the Moonstone, illuminating the cave in dazzling white light. Despite having his eyes closed, Ripplesky could still see the bright white flash. Slowly, he blinked open his eyes, stunned by the blinding light. _I don't think I'll ever be used to this,_ he thought.

Birchtail, who was standing there in awe, cautiously made his way to the Moonstone. "It's beautiful," he whispered.

"You've never been to the Moonstone before?" Ripplesky asked.

"Once, when I was a young apprentice," Birchtail meowed, laying down. "I guess I forgot what everything looked like since then." Squeezing his eyes shut, Birchtail pressed his nose against the Moonstone. Ripplesky copied him, and within moments the two toms were fast asleep.

When Ripplesky opened his eyes, he found himself beside a fast flowing river. Birchtail stood beside him, along with a large crowd of StarClan warriors. Ripplesky tried to identify them, but their starry pelts blended together in the moonlight.

"Greetings," a large gray tabby purred, making his way towards Birchtail. The gray tabby's eyes gleamed with pride as he looked over the new leader.

"Stonepelt!" Birchtail exclaimed, giving the tom a nuzzle.

"It's good to see you again, my son. Your mother and I are very proud of you," Stonepelt meowed. Leaning forward he touched his nose to Birchtail's forehead. "I give you the life of pride. May you forever be proud of where you came from, and of those around you. Use it especially towards the younger members of the Clan, as they will need it most. A kit who does not feel appreciated by their leader, becomes a traitor to the Clan." As the new life pulsed through Birchtail, the tom winced in pain.

Ripplesky's heart lurched. Was Stonepelt giving Birchtail a warning?

When Stonepelt's life faded, a pretty ginger she-cat padded forward. Her blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight, leaving a lasting image in the medicine cat. _She's beautiful,_ Ripplesky thought.

"Tawnyheart," Birchtail purred, dipping his head towards his former mentor.

"Hello," she replied, flicking her tail. Leaning forward, she touched her muzzle to his forehead just as Stonepelt had done. "I give you the life of mentoring. Use it to leave a positive influence on those around you. Remember, you are leader now, meaning your Clanmates will be looking up to you. Your choices will influence their own, and will be remembered for generations to come." As Tawnyheart's life pulsed through Birchtail, a wave of heat traveled from his body. It was so warm, Ripplesky could feel it.

Next came a brown tabby she-cat. Despite never seeing her before, Ripplesky knew this was Birchtail's mother. The two had the same sleek build and tabby stripes. "I'll never forget the day you were born," she purred, her eyes glittering with tears. "Now you're RiverClan's leader..."

"Don't cry, Hollyfern," Birchtail whispered, giving her a lick on the cheek.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad," Hollyfern replied, "I'm crying because I'm so proud of you, my brave little warrior. You have accomplished what so many others have not, and for that reason I give you the life of determination. Never give up on your goals, even if they seem impossible. You must stay determined, even in the darkest of times." As Hollyfern's life flowed into Birchtail, the queen winced. She obviously felt guilty that her life was causing him so much pain.

As Hollyfern took a step back, a familiar dark tabby stepped up. Ripplesky felt his throat tighten as Mudfoot made his way towards Birchtail. Pausing, he glanced over at Ripplesky but said nothing. "I give you the life of justice," Mudfoot meowed, his tone filled with anger. "Do not let biased opinions get in the way of doing what is right." Without saying anything else, Mudfoot took a step back. Just as he was about to join the other StarClan warriors, he paused to glare at Ripplesky.

Birchtail followed the warrior's gaze, confused. "Don't hold a grudge against, Ripplesky. He tried to-" before the tom could say anything else, he collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the life Mudfoot had just given him. When the life faded, Birchtail slowly stood to his paws. Coughing a few times he muttered, "Ripplesky tried to save you. It's ThunderClan you should be angry with." Mudfoot rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

Nightsky walked forward, her tail held high in the air. She walked past Ripplesky, completely ignoring him. "I give you the life of healing," she told Birchtail. "Use it to protect your Clanmates during dark times, as there will be many in your future." Pressing her muzzle to his forehead, a strong beam of light traveled into the new leader's body, making him shake. Nightsky took a step back, before returning to her position among the StarClan cats.

The next cat seemed to surprise both Ripplesky and Birchtail. "Cherrynose?" the gray-brown tom exclaimed.

The former ShadowClan deputy dipped her head to Birchtail. "I have come to give you your sixth life," Cherrynose said. "I am giving you the life of sympathy and understanding. You must understand there is no shame in helping those who do not belong to RiverClan. You must watch out for all cats, as we are all one. Do not be afraid to help those in need, even if they come from another Clan."

 _What could that mean?_ Ripplesky thought. He was tempted to believe Cherrynose was referring to the battle against ThunderClan, but that didn't make sense. Birchtail hadn't been against helping ShadowClan. He had been quite the opposite!

An unfamiliar she-kit padded forward, her eyes gleaming. Ripplesky looked over at Birchtail, who was equally confused. "Who are you?" the new leader questioned, leaning down to the kit's level.

"My name is Mistkit," she squeaked. "I'm your daughter."

Birchtail's eyes widened. "My daughter?" he whispered, his throat tightening. "I'm so sorry," he rasped. "You didn't deserve to die. You didn't even get a chance to experience life!"

"It's all right," Mistkit mewed, tears glistening in her eyes. "We'll meet again some day, daddy. For now, I give you the life of love. Remember to love your Clanmates, no matter what. They're your family, and family is the most important thing a cat can have." Since she was so small, Birchtail had to lay on the ground for her to touch her muzzle to his forehead.

Once her life faded, a little tom padded forward. He had a sleek black pelt, and amber eyes. _He looks just like Nightsky_ , the medicine cat thought. "I'm your son, Fogkit," the tom introduced himself. "I'm giving you the life of forgiveness. I know you're angry with Ravenstar, but you must forgive her in time. Anger will only eat you alive, making things worse."

"She _killed_ you," Birchtail growled.

"She didn't know we were even there," Fogkit insisted. "An angry leader is blinded by emotion. You must clear your heart, otherwise your biased opinions will affect the choices you make."

Finally, Morningstar came forward. Two small kits trailed behind her, their eyes gleaming. "Birchtail," she whispered, nudging the other kits forward. "You have two more kits I'd like you to meet. This is Dewkit," Morningstar flicked her tail towards a dark ginger tom, "and this is Drizzlekit." The former leader pointed to a dark tortoiseshell she-cat, who looked exactly like her.

"Drizzlekit looks like you," Birchtail rasped.

"We wish we could give you a life," Dewkit meowed.

"It's all right, my son," he replied, giving each kit a lick on the forehead. Turning to face Morningstar he whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you..."

"It's not your fault," Morningstar said, nuzzling him. She then touched her muzzle to his forehead and announced, "I give you the life of bravery. Being a leader is hard, and with dark times ahead you will need to be brave for both yourself, and your Clanmates. Even with this life, remember this is no shame in being afraid. Even the toughest of warriors get scared before the start of a battle." As Birchtail's final life flowed into him, the atmosphere seemed to change.

Stepping back, the tortoiseshell she-cat meowed, "Birchtail, your old life is no longer. From this moment forward until you join the ranks of StarClan, you shall be known as Birchstar!"

"Birchstar! Birchstar! Birchstar! Birchstar!" the StarClan cats cheered. Ripplesky joined in, his eyes gleaming with happiness. _Birchstar is going to be a wonderful leader_ , he thought.

Birchstar puffed out his chest. "I won't let you down," he promised. Before Morningstar could say anything else, the scenery began to fade.

Blinking open his eyes, Ripplesky found himself beside the Moonstone once more. The moon had shifted in the sky, leaving the cave dark. Beside him, Birchstar squirmed in his sleep. After a few moments, the RiverClan leader sat up and stretched.

"Congratulations," Ripplesky praised. "Remember, you aren't allowed to speak of what you saw. It is between you, me, and StarClan."

Birchstar dipped his head in understanding. "I wasn't going to tell any cat," he assured the medicine cat. Glancing at the hole in the cave ceiling he meowed, "We should get going. It's a long walk home."

* * *

When they reached camp, the sun was setting in the sky, casting orange shadows across the land. Ripplesky's stomach growled with intense hunger, and he felt light headed. "I'm starving," he commented.

"I am, too," Birchstar replied, slipping through the camp entrance.

Immediately, the RiverClan warriors raced up to them, their eyes gleaming with excitement. "Welcome home, Birchstar!" Frogpaw greeted.

Birchstar dipped his head to his warriors. "Thank you. I'm glad to be home. My paws are aching!"

"Are you hungry? I caught a huge salmon earlier, and I was wondering if you wanted it," Splashflower questioned. Glancing towards her son she added, "There's a plump squirrel for Ripplesky, too."

Without saying anything, Ripplesky darted over to the fresh-kill pile and snatched up the squirrel. After giving a quick thanks to StarClan, he tore into the prey and began gulping it down. As he ate, he noticed Birchstar was climbing onto Morningstar's den. _That's his den now_ , Ripplesky reminded himself, swallowing another bite of squirrel.

"It's time to appoint my deputy," Birchstar announced as the cats gathered below him. "I say these words before Morningstar, so that she may hear my choice and approve it. The new deputy of RiverClan shall be Pikeheart!"

Pikeheart let out a gasp. "I-I'm honored," he meowed, dipping his head to the new leader. "I promise I won't let you down."

"Pikeheart! Pikeheart! Pikeheart!" the RiverClan cats cheered, clearly approving the choice Birchstar had made.

When the cheering died down, the leader continued, "I would also like to make a new warrior. Minnowpaw, please step forward."

Ripplesky's eyes widened as his sister walked forward. Minnowpaw looked equally shocked as she paused beneath Birchstar. "Me?" she gasped. "But I haven't had my final assessment yet!"

"You proved yourself in the battle against ThunderClan," Birchstar told her. Leaping down beside her he said, "Minnowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

She nodded eagerly.

"I, Birchstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has learned the ways of your code, and has proved herself in battle. Minnowpaw, from this moment forward you shall be known as Minnowfur."

"Minnowfur!" Ripplesky yowled loudly, rushing to his sister's side. As the rest of RiverClan joined in, Minnowfur gave her shoulder a few embarrassed licks. "I'm so proud of you," he told her, nuzzling her. Waveheart and Splashflower padded up, their eyes gleaming with pride.

"Congratulations, my sweet kit!" Splashflower purred, covering her daughter in licks. As Ripplesky watched them, a sense of peace washed over him. RiverClan was safe from Nightsky's cruel grip, and Morningstar was dead. With Birchstar as leader and him as medicine cat, he knew RiverClan would be safe for seasons to come.

* * *

 **I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you all will enjoy it. As always, thank you for all the reviews. I love to read your comments on the story. Do you think Birchstar will be a good leader? Also, what do you think about the messages the StarClan cats gave him during the ceremony? I will try to update again as soon as possible.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Snow crunched underpaw as Ripplesky made his way towards Highstones. It was the night of a half-moon, meaning a medicine cat meeting was to be held. Truth be told, he hated attending the meetings. They were a complete waste of time, as he never dreamed anything. Not even the Dark Forest cats tried to walk in his dreams.

As he walked, Ripplesky began to ponder about Birchstar's nine lives ceremony almost two moons ago. StarClan had visited him then, so why didn't they come to him when he was by himself? _Perhaps they were threatening me,_ he thought, narrowing his eyes. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he felt. After all, each cat that given a life had warned Birchstar of some ominous disaster looming in the horizon. _They must have been talking about me._

 _You're a monster._

Nightsky's words rang in his head, filling Ripplesky with guilt. _No! Snowdust tricked you! You're not a monster,_ he reminded himself, trying to shake the thoughts from his head.

"Ripplesky, wait up!" Bumblebee's familiar voice alerted the RiverClan tom. Spinning around, he spotted Bumblebee and Fawnstep bounding towards him. Their fur was fluffed out against the cold, but their eyes were bright with excitement. "My paws are turning to icicles," Bumblebee joked as she neared him.

Fawnstep's whiskers twitched in agreement. "I can't wait for newleaf," she sighed.

As they began to climb the steep slope that lead to WindClan, Ripplesky asked, "Have you seen Acornleaf and Kestrelpaw?"

Bumblebee narrowed her eyes in disgust. "Who cares? Let's keep going."

The silver tom blinked at her, surprised. "Did something happen with Acornleaf...?" He didn't understand why Bumblebee was so mad at the ThunderClan medicine cats. While things had been tense with ThunderClan, Acornleaf and her new apprentice, Kestrelpaw, had always been friendly. He then thought of how Acornleaf had saved his life all those moons ago. _If it hadn't been for her, I would have died._

"They've been stealing herbs from us!" Fawnstep spoke up, lashing her tail.

Ripplesky's eyes widened. "What? How do you know?"

Bumblebee quickly looked over her shoulder to make sure no cat was nearby. Lowing her voice she meowed, "There's a fallen birch tree deep in the heart of our territory. Beside it grows a patch of wild catmint. However, when we went to gather some for Squirrelstep, it was all gone! The entire place smelled of ThunderClan, and Fawnstep found a tuft of brown fur caught on a branch nearby."

Ripplesky stared at her in shock. "You're kidding me..." When Bumblebee shook her head no, he said, "I have some catmint I can spare."

"It's too late." Bumblebee's eyes clouded as she spoke. "Squirrelstep died."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," he whispered, his heart twisting. "Thank you for sharing this with me, though. I'll have to warn Birchstar about it immediately."

"Flystar is planning a raid on ThunderClan," Bumblebee told him. "He wants to drive them out of the forest, with the help of RiverClan and WindClan."

"Drive them from the forest?!" The RiverClan medicine cat's eyes widened with disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm completely serious," the yellow medicine cat meowed. "It's the only way we can stop ThunderClan from their reign of terror. Besides, they tried to drive ShadowClan away once. They clearly have no respect for the other Clans in the forest, and we need to put a stop to it before it's too late." Her voice was filled with pain as she spoke, but her eyes were determined.

Suddenly, a small silhouette appeared at the top of the moorland. "It's Larkpaw," Fawnstep announced.

Larkpaw began to race towards them, her fur fluffed out. Finally, the young medicine cat stopped in front of them, panting hard. Watching her made Ripplesky realize how much his lungs hurt. He tried his best to ignore the pain, but the freezing cold tugged at his chest like a claw. He would have to stop and rest.

"Where's Breezetail?" Bumblebee asked.

"She can't come," Larkpaw meowed sadly. "She isn't feeling well enough to make the trip." This was the third time Breezetail had been too ill to attend the medicine cat meeting. It was obvious the elderly medicine cat was dying. _She probably won't make it to newleaf,_ Ripplesky thought sadly. Larkpaw was still so young, and with Breezetail so sick, it was evident she wasn't receiving proper training.

"Poor thing," Fawnstep murmured. "If WindClan ever needs help, I'd be glad to spend a few days in your camp." Glancing at Bumblebee she added, "if it's all right with you, of course."

"I don't mind."

Once Ripplesky and Larkpaw had caught their breath, the four medicine cats continued their trek across the moorland. The snow stung their paws, and the freezing wind shook their pelts. When they reached the Thunderpath, Ripplesky wasn't sure he would be able to make it across. His paws were so numb, and his eyes were bleary from the wind.

Bumblebee paused beside Larkpaw, before glancing down at the young she-cat. "I'll help you cross," she told the apprentice. "Just stay by my side, and when I tell you go, run as fast as you can. Okay?"

Larkpaw nodded slowly, her eyes full of fear.

"Go!" Bumblebee yowled, before springing out onto the black path. Larkpaw followed after her, trembling with fear. As Ripplesky watched her, his stomach churned nervously. _Don't stop!_ he begged silently. Finally, both medicine cats reached the opposite side of the Thunderpath, completely unharmed.

Fawnstep nudged Ripplesky to his paws. "Are you ready?" she asked.

He nodded quickly, locking his blue eyes on the busy Thunderpath. Monsters roared past them, their stinking scents hitting the cats in the face. Finally, a gap between monsters appeared. Ripplesky and Fawnstep raced across the path as fast as they could. As they ran, the sharp stones dug into Ripplesky's cold paws, making him wince. In the distance, he could hear a monster roaring towards them. The silver medicine cat tried to pick up the pace, but his paws were too cold.

"Hurry!" Larkpaw screeched.

Bunching his muscles, Ripplesky leaped onto the safety of the grass. A few seconds later, the monster hurled past them, making loud honking noises as it went.

Ripplesky crawled underneath a bush, before flopping down on the ground. Fawnstep sat beside him, her eyes wide with fear. "I thought you were crowfood," she confessed, giving her chest fur a couple of licks.

"I did too," he panted.

As they sat there collecting themselves, the undergrowth started to rustle. Honeyleaf and Willowblaze stepped out, their tails held high in the air. "Greetings!" Honeyleaf purred, taking a seat beside Bumblebee.

Willowblaze sat next to Ripplesky, her eyes gleaming. The pretty brown tabby had received her full name at their last meeting, and she still looked as proud as ever. "You look ruffled," she commented, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Almost being hit by a monster does that to you," he sighed, standing to his paws. Glancing at the other medicine cats he asked, "Should we get going?"

Honeyleaf glanced at the dark, cloudy sky. "Definitely. Otherwise we'll be late!"

As they climbed the rocky hill that lead towards Mothermouth, Willowblaze fell into step beside Ripplesky. The hostility from before had completely vanished, meaning the two were getting along fine now. Despite that, Ripplesky couldn't help but feel annoyed with the ShadowClan she-cat. She always treated Ripplesky as if he were a Clanmate, and expected him to treat her the same way. _We may be medicine cats, but we can never be close friends. I am loyal to my Clan, and no one else. Why can't Willowblaze be the same way?_

Suddenly, she pressed against him. Ripplesky quickly pulled away, his eyes wide. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

Willowblaze flattened her ears to her head. "I-I was trying to warm you up," she stammered. "Sorry."

"I'm fine," he retorted harshly, lashing his tail.

A flash of sadness crossed her eyes, but she said nothing. Instead, she pulled back and began to walk beside Honeyleaf. Honeyleaf murmured something into Willowblaze's ear, but Ripplesky could not hear it. _I don't care anyways,_ he thought, before disappearing into Mothermouth.

* * *

Dazzling moonlight had already filled the cave by the time the six medicine cats arrived.

"We must hurry," Honeyleaf urged, rushing towards the glimmering stone.

"What about Acornleaf and Kestrelpaw?" Larkpaw wondered, looking back at the tunnel.

Bumblebee nudged the young apprentice towards the Moonstone. "We don't have time to worry about them. We must dream with StarClan before it's too late!"

Ripplesky let out a sigh, before curling up against the cold Moonstone. There was no rush for him, as StarClan never visited him. _They hate me,_ he thought bitterly, unsheathing his claws. _Well, I don't need them. I can be the best medicine cat without StarClan's guidance. I'll show them!_ Squeezing his eyes shut, Ripplesky waited to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

To his surprise, he found himself in a dark, cold forest. The rotting smell of flesh and toadstool overwhelmed him, and made his stomach churn. _Oh no!_ A wave of panic washed over the silver tom as he realized where he was. Quickly, he began to look for an escape route. He had to leave, before Snowdust caught him. She would shred him to pieces if she caught him. To his disappointment, the undergrowth was too tangled for him to make an escape.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Snowdust's voice sounded.

Spinning around, Ripplesky spotted the white she-cat stalking towards him. He quickly unsheathed his claws, ready for a fight if it came down to that.

"Are you deaf? I said I'm not going to hurt you," she growled, her neck fur bristling.

"Why should I trust you? You lied to me for moons! I killed Nightsky because of you," Ripplesky spat.

"You would have killed her anyways," Snowdust told him, narrowing her eyes.

Ripplesky puffed out his chest. "How do you know?"

"You hated her," she meowed. "Eventually, your hatred would have consumed you until you couldn't control it anymore. It would have been a messy killing; one that would get you exiled. I saved you when I tricked you. If it hadn't been for me, you would be a homeless rogue, on the run and hated by all." Snowdust's eyes suddenly filled with pain, but she did not continue.

"I don't believe you," he growled, lashing his tail.

"Just look at Mudfoot's death," Snowdust hissed.

He stiffened. What did Mudfoot's death have to do with Nightsky? "What about it?"

"That was a very messy kill," Snowdust said. "If that ThunderClan patrol hadn't stumbled across the body, Morningstar would have eventually figured out the truth. Despite what you think, she isn't completely mouse-brained. It didn't help you were drenched in Mudfoot's blood, and a tuft of your fur had been left behind."

"I couldn't help it!" Ripplesky argued, glaring at her. "A red haze washed over me. I didn't feel like I was in control of my body when I killed him."

"Exactly." Snowdust began to circle around Ripplesky. Leaning into his ear she whispered, "That just proves my earlier point. You would have killed Nightsky in a rage of fury, just as you did Mudfoot." Stepping back she growled, "I allowed you to succeed, Ripplesky. Think what you want, but it's true. I made your thoughts clear by tricking you. You believed StarClan was on your side, and it gave you the confidence to do what you did. You should be thanking me for all the trouble I went through!"

Ripplesky jerked away, his eyes blazing with fury. "I'll never thank you," he hissed. "You ruined my life!"

"I didn't do anything," Snowdust argued. "Your fate was determined long before either of us were kitted. Now stop blaming me for everything, and own up to your actions."

"I don't believe in fate," Ripplesky responded. "I believe every cat chooses their own path."

"And you have chose your path the second you killed Nightsky," she pointed out. "Face it, Ripplesky. You _are_ a monster, and nothing can ever change that. Not even StarClan themselves."

* * *

 **101 reviews?! Thank you so much everyone! I am very glad all of you are enjoying the story. I had a blast writing this chapter, especially the ending. Even though she's horrible, I love Snowdust. There's a serious lack of female villains in the Warriors world, so it feels good to create my own. The next two chapters will center around two different point of views. I will not tell you who, but feel free to guess! I will try to have them up as soon as possible.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Sunlight filtered through the pine branches above head, casting dappled shadows across Snowpaw's pelt. It was her first day as an apprentice, and she was thrilled. "This is great!" she squeaked, glancing at her sister, Frostpaw.

Frostpaw nodded. "The forest is so big! I don't think I'll ever be able to find my way around."

Brightshine, Snowpaw's mentor, let out a chuckle. "You'll learn your way around the forest in no time. Just keep watch for distinct landmarks, like this bramble patch here." The ginger-and-white she-cat paused beside a clump of brambles. "Remember how they're positioned, and the tree they grow beside."

Snowpaw tried her best to study the brambles, but it was useless. "I can't do it," she sighed, glancing down at her paws.

Brightshine gave her a sympathetic smile, before looking over at Pondtail. "I think we should take them back to camp now. They look exhausted."

"I agree. Frostpaw looks as if she's about to fall asleep on her paws!" The gray tom gently nudged his apprentice, making her jump.

Snowpaw's eyes gleamed with amusement as she watched her sister. "We should change your name to Chickenpaw!" she joked, following the older warriors in the direction of camp.

"Shut up," Frostpaw responded, flattening her ears to her head.

Snowpaw stared at her, alarmed. "I was just kidding," she meowed defensively.

Frostpaw rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

When they reached camp, the sun had started to set, casting orange light across the ShadowClan camp. Snowpaw hungrily eyed the fresh-kill pile. "Can we eat?" she asked Brightshine.

Her mentor nodded, before padding off in the direction of the warriors den. Now alone, Snowpaw began to pick through the well-stocked prey pile, before finding a delicious looking frog. Licking her lips, she carried it over the furthest corner of camp, where she curled up to eat her meal.

As she ate, Yellowstar padded towards her. The ShadowClan leader's eyes gleamed in the dying sunlight as he watched her eat. "Where's your sister?" he wondered, taking a seat beside Snowpaw.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She's mad at me for some reason..."

"She'll get over it," Yellowstar affirmed her. "How was your first day as an apprentice?"

"It was tiring," Snowpaw confessed, taking another bite from her frog. "I feel like my paws are going to fall off!"

"Snowpaw! You're back!" The white apprentice jumped to her paws as her older half-brother, Dustbelly, approached. He was two season older than her, and they shared the same father: Whiteheart, a sturdy white tom with dazzling amber eyes. Despite the fact Whiteheart had taken two mates, neither family seemed to care. Both Larkclaw and Shadeflower got along well, as did their kits. As far as Snowpaw was concerned, they were one big, happy, family.

"ShadowClan territory is so big," Snowpaw told him.

Dustbelly's whiskers twitched in amusement. "You'll get used to it," he meowed, giving her a lick on the head.

"That's what Brightshine and Pondtail said, but I don't think I will..." Snowpaw's eyes watered. She felt like a dopey kit. _I can't even remember my own territory! How will I ever become a warrior?_

Sensing her sadness, Dustbelly said, "Don't worry, Snowpaw. You have plenty of time to figure your way around the forest." Glancing towards a patch of moss he suggested, "How about we play a game of mossball?"

"Can I play?" a voice asked.

Snowpaw's heart swelled as Bearpaw approached. He was a muscular dark tabby with green eyes, and long silky fur. He was extremely handsome, unlike any other tom she had seen before. "Of course," she breathed, unable to meet his gaze.

Bearpaw flashed a quick smile at her, before dropping into a hunter's crouch. Dustbelly swatted the mossball in his direction. Bearpaw kicked it towards Snowpaw, who rolled it back. The three tossed the mossball back and forth for a good while, purrs rumbling in their throats.

"Mossball? Seriously?" Frostpaw's scornful mew alerted Snowpaw. Glancing up, she spotted her sister standing there, looking cross.

"Lighten up. We're just having some fun," Bearpaw argued, flicking his tail back and forth.

"Mossball is for kits. You two are apprentices." Frostpaw glared at Dustbelly as she added, "and _you_ are a warrior. You should know better than to participate in such immature activities. I'm surprised you even passed your warrior assessment, the way you behave." The black-and-white she-cat held her head high in the air, trying to appear older.

"What's with the attitude?" Snowpaw demanded, narrowing her eyes. Why was Frostpaw being such a grump?

"I don't have an attitude," her sister argued. "I just don't have any patience for pointless kit-games." Before they could say anything else, Frostpaw stalked away, her tail held high in the air. As Snowpaw watched her go, anger bubbled up inside of her.

"I don't want to play anymore," she spat, kicking the mossball into the undergrowth that lined camp. Letting out a deep breath, the white she-cat stalked in the direction of the apprentices den.

* * *

Silver moonlight drenched the forest as Snowpaw made her way back to camp. She had been on a late night training session with Brightshine. Her mentor had been teaching her how to hunt at night, an important skill all ShadowClan warriors were required to know. Snowpaw had caught on fast, and was now scanning the forest for any flickers of movement. She had been an apprentice for three moons now, and was getting the hang of things.

Suddenly, a clump of bracken began to rustle violently, alerting the two she-cats. "It's only me," Bearpaw told them, stepping out.

Snowpaw let out a sigh of relief, before giving her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. "I thought I'd have to battle a fox or something," she joked.

"Not today," Bearpaw purred. Glancing at Brightshine he said, "You go ahead. I need to talk to Snowpaw for a minute."

Brightshine dipped her head. "All right, but don't stay out too long. The forest is crawling with badgers at night, and the last thing we need is for one of you to get hurt."

"We'll be fine," Snowpaw assured her, before taking a seat. Looking at Bearpaw she asked, "What is it?"

Bearpaw looked at his paws, unsure what to say. Finally he whispered, "I think you're very pretty, Snowpaw."

She stared at him in astonishment. This couldn't be real! How could Bearpaw ever return her feelings? She was completely average, with a boring white pelt color to match. Frostpaw was much more beautiful than she was. "Really?" she gasped.

He nodded. "I've felt this way for a while now, but I've been too scared to tell you. I understand if you don't feel the same way."

"I feel the same!" she blurted out quickly. "I'm just... overwhelmed. I never expected you to like me."

Before Bearpaw could say anything, Brightshine's annoyed voice sounded. "Hurry up, you two!"

He let out a sigh. "We'd better go. Otherwise Brightshine and Volefoot will claw our pelts off!"

Snowpaw smiled, before following him back to camp. When she arrived, she looked around for her mother, Shadeflower. To her disappointment, her mother was no where to be found. _She's probably asleep,_ Snowpaw realized. She desperately wished for it to be dawn. She wanted to ask her mother for advice concerning Bearpaw. Snowpaw had never had a tom crushing on her before, so her mother's experience would help her tremendously.

"Get some sleep," Brightshine ordered. "We have to join the dawn patrol, so you need as much sleep as you can get."

Snowpaw nodded, before heading towards the apprentices den. Inside, she curled up beside Frostpaw. Her sister's black-and-white flanks rose with every breath, and every once and a while she let out a snore. Bearpaw curled up in his own nest beside Plumpaw and Bramblepaw. _Plumpaw's so lucky,_ Snowpaw thought. _She gets to feel Bearpaw's fur brush against her all night long!_ Too tired to think any further, Snowpaw drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"From this moment forward, you shall be known as Snowdust. StarClan welcomes you as a full warrior of ShadowClan," Yellowstar yowled.

"Snowdust! Frostwing! Snowdust! Frostwing!"

Snowdust's eyes gleamed with pride as the Clan cheered her new name. Her unborn kits squirmed inside her belly, as if they were congratulating her too. _Bearclaw's kits._ The young she-cat had become pregnant two moons after Bearclaw's confession in the forest. Up until then, she had kept her pregnancy a secret. It wouldn't be long though, before her stomach started to bulge, alerting every cat of her pregnancy.

"I'm so proud of you," Bearclaw whispered in her ear. Glancing at her belly he asked, "How are the kits?"

"They're squirming around a lot," she told him. "I think they're happy for me."

"Who's happy for you?" Frostwing questioned, overhearing the conversation.

"Whiteheart and Shadeflower," Snowdust lied.

Frostwing narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Of course they're happy for you. The whole Clan is happy for you. For _us_ ," she corrected, before looking at Bearclaw. "New warriors are always a good thing to have, as they keep the Clan going."

Bearclaw nodded his head in agreement. "Pretty soon we'll have even more warriors. Isn't that right, Snowdust?"

Frostwing gave her sister a confused look. "What is he talking about?"

Snowdust shuffled her paws on the ground. "I-I'm pregnant," she whispered, unable to meet her sister's burning gaze.

Frostwing's amber eyes widened. "You mean...?"

She nodded.

"You frog-brain!" Frostwing screeched loudly, cuffing Snowdust around the ear. "Don't you realize you could have killed your kits in your training assessments?"

"Don't hit her!" Bearclaw snapped, shoving Frostwing away. By now, every cat was staring at Snowdust.

Shadeflower raced up to her daughter, her eyes wide. "You're expecting?" she gasped.

Snowdust slowly nodded her head, a wave of guilt washing over her head. _You didn't do anything wrong,_ Snowdust reminded herself over and over again. _The kits are perfectly fine! Besides, I'm not the first cat to become pregnant at a young age._

"You could have hurt yourself." Shadeflower gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm fine," Snowdust snapped. Giving her sister one final glare, the white queen stalked out of camp. Anger bubbled inside of her, but she did her best to ignore it. _Stupid Frostwing!_ she thought, kicking a pine cone with her paw. _She ruins everything._

After a while, Snowdust began to grow tired. She flopped down beside a clump of ferns and started washing her belly. As she cleaned herself, her kits squirmed around inside of her. _I wonder how many there are,_ she thought. The ShadowClan queen began to imagine what her kittens would look like. _I hope they look like Bearclaw._ She could see it now: three handsome toms, standing atop Yellowstar's den. One tom would be leader, the next deputy, and the last a wise medicine cat. _My kits will lead the Clans,_ I just know it. Snowdust's eyes began to droop, before she drifted off to sleep.

"Snowdust! Snowdust, wake up!" Bearclaw shook her awake.

Snowdust jumped to her paws, before looking at the sky. It was almost midnight! "I have night duty," she panted, hurrying in the direction of camp. Bearclaw raced after her, his eyes wide.

"Take it easy. You don't want to hurt the kits!"

"They're fine," Snowdust snapped, slightly irritated. Why was every cat suddenly treating her like a stupid kit? Besides, her kits were tough. Simple tasks like running wouldn't hurt them! _They never treat Specklefoot like this,_ she thought, lashing her tail. Specklefoot was one of ShadowClan's permanent queens, and she was always treated with utmost respect. _Why can't they treat me like that?_

When they reached camp, Yellowstar headed towards them. "Where have you been?" he growled, narrowing his eyes.

"It doesn't matter now. I'm here," she told him, walking to the center of the clearing. The white she-cat sat up straight, ready for her vigil.

Yellowstar gave her an annoyed look, but said nothing. The yellow tabby tom stalked over to his den, leaving Snowdust, Bearclaw and Frostwing alone.

"I'm going to go to sleep. Good luck." Bearclaw flashed her a quick smile, before giving her a lick on the forehead.

As Snowdust watched him go, her heart swelled with pride. _Your father is a wonderful cat,_ she thought as her kittens began to squirm.

As the two sisters sat watch, an eerie feeling swept over Snowdust. She didn't understand what was going on, but something felt off. Turning to face Frostwing she whispered, "Something's wrong. I can sense it."

Frostwing flattened her ears to her head. "Be quiet!"

"I'm serious," Snowdust argued. "Something isn't right. I think we should get Yellowstar." Before Frostwing could protest, Snowdust scampered towards the leader's den. Inside, Yellowstar was curled up fast asleep. His yellow flanks rose with every breath, and a gentle snore sounded from his mouth. "Yellowstar," Snowdust begged, prodding him in the ribs. "You've got to wake up!"

Yellowstar jolted awake, eyes wide. "What's going on?" he yawned.

"Something is wrong... I feel like we're being watched." Snowdust looked down at her paws, hoping Yellowstar would believe her. Before he could say anything, a loud shriek sounded from the clearing. The ShadowClan cats bolted into the clearing, fluffing their pelts out. WindClan warriors poured into the camp, their eyes filled with determination.

Immediately, the clearing filled with fighting cats. As Snowdust watched them, her heart began to race. _I'll never be able to fight in my condition!_ she thought. Before she could react, a gray tom rammed into her, knocking her to the ground. It was Owlflight, a newly made warrior she had recognized from the last Gathering. Collecting her strength, Snowdust lashed out at Owlflight, scratching him on the shoulder.

Owlflight barred his teeth in a snarl, before clawing at her flanks. With every movement, Snowdust's pregnant belly weighed her down, making fighting impossible. _StarClan help me!_ she begged, as she nipped the WindClan tom on the leg.

Suddenly, Snowdust lost her footing and tumbled to the ground. Chest heaving, she struggled to her paws. Owlflight swiftly climbed on top of her, pinning her down.

Belly exposed, Snowdust tried to free herself from his grip. With every movement, Owlflight's claws dug deeper into her skin. "Get off!" she cried, glaring.

Owlflight slowly looked at her bulging stomach. "I see you're expecting," he whispered. Slowly, he held up one paw, claws unsheathed. As Snowdust watched him, her heart began to pound madly in her chest.

"Let me go," she begged, squirming under him.

Fast as lightning, Owlflight sliced Snowdust's belly. The queen let out a blood-chilling scream that silenced the clearing. Slowly, the WindClan warrior stepped off, a blank expression plastered on his face. Below him, Snowdust writhed in pain, blood pouring from her belly. _My kits!_ she thought in alarm. _My kits are dying!_

Suddenly, Bearclaw rammed into Owlflight, knocking him to the ground. The WindClan tom struggled to his paws, but Bearclaw leaped onto him. The dark tabby began to shake Owlflight around like a piece of fresh-kill, before throwing him back to the ground. Owlflight began to crawl away, but Bearclaw held onto his tail, trapping him. Just then, the ShadowClan warrior clawed at Owlflight's eyes, scarring them. Blood seeped from his now blind eyes, causing the gray tom to cry out in agony.

"WindClan, retreat!" a panicked voice cried. One by one, the WindClan cats began to flee the clearing. Snowdust was too distracted by her own pain to notice or care what was going on around her.

Immediately, Bearclaw rushed to her, his eyes filled with sadness. "Stay right here. I'm going to fetch Wrenfur."

"I'm already here," Wrenfur panted, dropping a bundle of herbs beside Snowdust. As Wrenfur applied cobwebs to Snowdust's belly, the queen began to feel light headed. Slowly, everything went black. _I'm dying..._

* * *

Weak sunlight hit Snowdust in the face. Slowly, she sat up and glanced around her surroundings. To her surprise, she was in Wrenfur's den.

"Thank StarClan you're awake! I was beginning to think you'd never wake up," the medicine cat commented.

"W-What happened?" she whispered, feeling groggy.

"You've been passed out cold for three sunrises straight," Wrenfur said, pushing a wad of wet moss towards her. There was a gleam of sadness in her amber eyes, but she said nothing more.

After licking the moss dry, Snowdust stared down at her scarred belly. It felt strangely empty. Heart pounding she cried out, "My kits! Are they okay?"

Wrenfur stared down at her paws. "I'm sorry, but your kits didn't make it..." she whispered. "I tried to save them, but the wound was too deep. T-That brings me to another thing. You will never be able to have kits of your own. The scarring was too deep."

Snowdust's eyes widened in horror. "You... You can't be serious!" Tears began to well up in her eyes as she stared at the medicine cat. Her kittens were dead, and it was all her fault. _I shouldn't have fought. I should have hid in the nursery with Specklefoot._

The den entrance rustled, alerting Snowdust of another cat's presence. Almost at once, Bearclaw's sweet scent washed over her. "Bearclaw..." she rasped.

His eyes were filled with anger as he stared at her. "This is all your fault!" he hissed, lashing his tail. "If you had any common sense, you would have been in the nursery rather than fighting. Our kits are dead because of you, and now..." he trailed off, too upset to speak.

Snowdust stared down at her paws, feeling ashamed of herself. "I didn't mean to," she protested.

"We're done," Bearclaw suddenly said, not meeting her gaze. "I can't be with a she-cat who can't even give me kits."

Snowdust narrowed her eyes. Was that all Bearclaw cared about? Kits? _No, he's just grieving,_ she told herself over and over again. _He doesn't really mean it. He loves me!_

"Don't talk to her like that!" Wrenfur snapped, her neck fur bristling. "If any cat is to be blamed, it's Owlflight. He's the one who murdered a pregnant queen's kits. Do you really think Snowdust wanted this to happen?"

"No, it's okay," she whispered.

"It isn't okay," Wrenfur argued, glaring at Bearclaw. "You did nothing wrong. He's being a frog-brain." Bearclaw let out a snort, before storming out of the den. Snowdust watched him go, her heart breaking into a million pieces. She tried to convince herself Bearclaw would come back, but deep down inside, she knew their relationship was over.

* * *

It had been a moon since the death of her kittens.

Since then, no cat had bothered to interact with Snowdust. _They must figure I'm grieving,_ she thought, resting her head on her forepaws. Letting out a deep sigh, the white she-cat stared across the clearing. She wanted to clear her mind, but she couldn't keep stop thinking about her lost kits.

Even though her kits would never be born, Snowdust had decided on naming them Hollykit, Cinderkit, and Adderkit. _I wonder what they would have looked like._ As she sat there daydreaming, she pictured her kits in her mind. Hollykit would be a sleek, long furred she-cat with a long fluffy tail. Cinderkit would be a muscular dark tabby tom, with a build similar to Bearclaw. And Adderkit would be tabby-and-white, with blue eyes. Snowdust smiled slightly, wishing her daydream would come true. _My poor kits... My poor little kits, all alone in StarClan without their mother._

A tail touched her shoulder, alerting her. Glancing up, Snowdust saw Frostwing and Bearclaw standing there. Frostwing had a mysterious look on her face as she looked at her sister. "Can we talk to you?"

"I guess," Snowdust sighed, sitting up.

Frostwing and Bearclaw exchanged looks, before the black-and-white she-cat blurted out, "I'm pregnant!"

Snowdust's eyes widened. "You're _what_?" How could Frostwing betray her like that, especially with Bearclaw? _Don't be mad at him,_ Snowdust thought over and over again. _Frostwing tricked him. She took advantage of his grief and used him! No, Bearclaw is old enough to think for himself. He chose to do this!_ Anger boiled inside of Snowdust, causing a loud growl to rise up in her throat.

"Aren't you happy for me?" her sister's voice shook.

"Happy for you? Why, I ought to rip your throat out!" Glaring at Bearclaw she spat, "And I should feed you to the crows! You worthless piece of fox-meat! Don't you realize what you've done to me? My kits are dead, and you just move on like it's nothing? Didn't I mean anything to you? Or did you just use me to continue on your bloodline?"

Bearclaw stared down at his paws.

"Look me in the eyes, you coward!" Snowdust lashed out at him, giving him a nasty cut on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Frostwing cried out. "I just thought-"

"You thought what? That a moon after my kits were murdered I'd be perfectly fine with you mating with Bearclaw?" Turning to face Bearclaw she added, "And you! Did you seriously think I'd be fine with this? You're a jerk, Bearclaw. I hope your kits are born dead! You don't deserve healthy kits for what you've done to me!" Before they could say anything, Snowdust stormed out of camp, her eyes blazing with fury.

 _How could they do this to me?_ she thought angrily, flopping down beside a log. _I don't need Bearclaw or Frostwing. I don't need anyone but my kits._

Snowdust let out a sigh. She desperately wished for her dead kittens to return to her, but she knew that would never happen. Her kittens were gone forever, and there was nothing she could do to bring them back.

* * *

Cries of pain echoed across the clearing, making Snowdust smirk. _She deserves a long and painful delivery,_ she thought, digging her claws into the soft ground.

Shadeflower slipped out of the nursery, before heading in Snowdust's direction. "Frostwing wants you," she whispered.

"That's too bad. I'm not going to visit her," the white she-cat growled, lashing her tail. "I will never forgive her for what she's done to me."

Her mother frowned. "I'm not asking you to forgive her, Snowdust. All I'm asking is that you go visit her. She's asking for you."

"What does she want me for?" Snowdust snapped.

"She wants you to be there when the kits are born," Shadeflower meowed, resting her tail on her daughter's shoulders.

Snowdust growled. "I've already told her, I want nothing to do with these kits. They're as good as dead for all I care!"

Shadeflower's eyes widened. "Don't talk like that!" she scolded. Letting out a sigh the black-and-white she-cat said, "I know you're angry with your sister and Bearclaw, but these kittens are innocent. They didn't ask to be born like this, and they've done nothing to you. Be mad at their parents, but don't hold a grudge against them. They're sweet and innocent, and at the end of the day they're your family."

Snowdust let out a huff. "Fine," she growled. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to visit them this one time. But I still want nothing to do with these little furballs afterwords!"

Shadeflower gave her a small smile, before leading her in the direction of the nursery. Inside, Frostwing was laying on her side, panting hard. Two small kits were at her side. Wrenfur crouched over the queen, whispering quietly in her ear. Suddenly, a small kit tumbled to the ground, covered in blood.

"You're all done," Wrenfur said, nipping the sack off the kit. She gently placed it beside Frostwing, who was glowing with pride.

As the den entrance rustled, Frostwing looked up. "You came!" she purred, before glancing down at her kits. "What do you think?"

 _I hate them._ "They're... wonderful," Snowdust lied. She slowly looked down at the three wriggling bundles that lay beside Frostwing. One kit was solid white, another was black-and-white, and the last was a dark tabby like Bearclaw.

"What should I name them?" Frostwing asked.

Snowdust shrugged. "Shouldn't you be asking Bearclaw that? Or did he already leave you for another she-cat?"

Frostwing narrowed her eyes. "If you're going to be rude, get out!"

"You're the one who invited me here," Snowdust hissed.

"Get out," Frostwing commanded, flattening her ears to her head.

Snowdust glared, before stalking out of the den. She could hear Shadeflower letting out cries of protest, but she ignored them. _Frostwing doesn't deserve those kits. She doesn't deserve anything, and neither does Bearclaw. I deserve to be a mother though, and I'll do anything to be one!_

* * *

As night fell over the forest, Snowdust crept out of camp. Her white pelt glowed in the moonlight, making her look like a spirit cat. Keeping low to the ground, she crept around the camp until she was directly behind the nursery. _This is it,_ she thought. _I'm going to steal Frostwing's kits._ She knew she would have to flee ShadowClan, but there was no other choice. She _had_ to be a mother, even if it meant hurting her sister in the process.

Quietly, she began to tear a hole in the back wall, before squeezing inside. Specklefoot, Frostwing, and Olivetail were all curled up, fast asleep. Their kits squirmed beside their bellies, and the scent of milk filled the air.

As Snowdust loomed over Frostwing, she wondered what kit she would pick. She wanted to take them all, but she knew she would not be able to carry three kits at once. And there was no way she would be able to make several trips back to camp. Slowly, she picked up the white tom. Immediately, he began to squeal in fear.

Frostwing jumped awake, eyes wide. "What are you doing?" she demanded, unsheathing her claws.

Disguised by the shadows in the den, Snowdust lashed out with her claws, ripping Frostwing's throat. The black-and-white queen let out a started gasp, before tumbling to the ground. Blood coated Snowdust's paws, but she ignored it. Fully awake, Specklefoot and Olivetail leaped to their paws, ready to defend the nursery.

Fast as lightning, Snowdust slipped out of the hole she created and raced through the pine forest. The white kitten bumped against her legs, but he remained quiet. As Snowdust ran, she could hear a commotion back at camp. _I've got to hurry!_ she thought. She wasn't sure where she would go, but she had to be quick. If her Clanmates caught her, they would kill her and her plan would fail.

As Snowdust approached the Thunderpath, her stomach churned nervously. Behind her, the undergrowth rustled and cracked, indicating a patrol was chasing after her. _What am I going to do? s_ he panicked. Suddenly, a hole under the Thunderpath caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder, before disappearing inside. Above head, she could hear the monsters as they rumbled over her.

Chest pounding, Snowdust sat the tom down. As he cried, the white she-cat began to cover him in licks. "Hush little one," she cooed, wrapping her tail around him. "I'm your mother, and I'm here to protect you." Eventually, he quieted down, making Snowdust's heart swell with pride. _He loves me!_

Once she had caught her breath and decided the patrol had turned around, Snowdust picked up the tom and padded out of the tunnel. She was now on ThunderClan's territory, safe from her Clanmates. As she walked through the thick forest, she realized she was coated with Frostwing's blood. _I need to wash it off before a fox scents me._

Snowdust settled down beneath a holly bush, and began to groom her pelt. Her new son curled up beside her, oblivious to anything around him. As Snowdust watched him, she let out a purr. _He's absolutely precious. It's a shame his brothers couldn't come with him._

The holly bush began to rustle, alerting Snowbush. The white she-cat unsheathed her claws, ready to protect her kit.

"Great StarClan!" a surprised voice meowed. "It's a queen with a kit!"

"Bring her out, Sootpelt," another voice said.

Sootpelt gave Snowdust a sympathetic look before whispering, "We aren't going to hurt you. Please come out."

Snowdust gulped, before crawling out from the holly bush. She pressed her son to her belly, not wanting the RiverClan cats to see him. "What are you doing?" she snapped, flattening her ears to her head. Glancing around at her surroundings she said, "Also, what are you doing on ThunderClan's territory?"

"The ThunderClan border is over there," Sootpelt responded, flicking his tail towards a clump of bracken. "You must have crossed the border without realizing it." Glancing towards the kit he asked, "Are you all right?"

Another cat padded up, her eyes filled with concern. She exchanged a look with Sootpelt before commenting, "You should come back to camp with us. It's too dangerous for a young queen like yourself to be in the forest."

"I don't know, Amberdawn. What would Talonstar think if we brought a ShadowClan cat back to camp?" Sootpelt argued. "Especially a ShadowClan cat with a kit! We'd be asking for trouble."

"I'm not a ShadowClan cat," Snowdust lied. _Think of an excuse quickly!_ "I'm a rogue they've been holding hostage."

Sootpelt narrowed his eyes at her. To Snowdust's relief, Amberdawn meowed, "I think I remember Yellowstar saying something about rogues at the last Gathering. He never said anything about holding them hostage, though."

"I don't remember that," Sootpelt grunted.

"Yellowstar didn't mention it because it would make him look weak," Snowdust continued. "ShadowClan is low on warriors; lower than ever before. When they saw I was pregnant, they trapped me and forced me to come back to their camp. They were going to force my son to be an apprentice. I had to escape, before it was too late. I just couldn't bring my little one up in that kind of environment." _Please believe me!_

Amberdawn touched her nose to Snowdust's pelt. "You poor thing. You were very brave to escape."

Snowdust let out a sigh of relief, before picking her son up. _What an idiot!_ As she followed Sootpelt and Amberdawn back to RiverClan's camp she mumbled, "What are you doing out in the forest so late at night?"

"We were taking a walk," Amberdawn replied. "I gave birth to kits of my own, a few days ago. Two little she-kits, actually. Anyways, I was feeling the urge to stretch my paws, so Sootpelt agreed to come with me."

Snowdust smiled. "What are your daughter's names?"

"Morningkit and Nightkit," Amberdawn purred. "Morningkit is a dark tortoiseshell, and Nightkit is solid black."

"They sound lovely," Snowdust told her, crossing the Twoleg bridge. Finally, the three cats arrived at camp. The sun was starting to rise, casting faint pink light across the river. As Snowdust watched it, she felt a purr rise in her throat. _RiverClan will be my new home,_ she decided. _That is, if Talonstar will allow me to join._ It was far enough away from ShadowClan, and since the camp was located on an island, she and her son would be safe.

"Talonstar!" Sootpelt yowled.

A few moments later, Talonstar slipped out of his den, his eyes bleary from sleep. "What's going on?" he yawned, oblivious to Snowdust.

"We found a rogue on our land," Amberdawn piped up. "She's got a newborn kit with her. Do you mind if she stays here for a little while?"

Talonstar stared at Snowdust. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

She gulped. "N-No..."

"ShadowClan has been holding her hostage," Amberdawn explained. "They're running low on warriors, so they've been recruiting rogues."

Talonstar narrowed his eyes. "Recruiting rogues, eh? We can't have that, can we?" Looking back at Snowdust he murmured, "You can stay. Amberdawn, go make her a nest."

The RiverClan she-cat dipped her head, before disappearing inside the nursery. As Snowdust waited for her to finish making the den, her eyes grew heavy. She was exhausted. _I just want to curl up and sleep for a moon!_

"Come on," Amberdawn called out.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Snowdust snatched her kit up and padded into the nursery. It was nice and cozy inside. Setting down, she began to lick her kit.

"What's your name?" Amberdawn asked as she curled around her daughters.

"Snowy," Snowdust lied. _If I give her my real name, my cover will be blown._

"And what's your sons name?"

Snowdust was silent. "I-I haven't thought about it yet," she yawned.

Amberdawn peered over at the white kit before suggesting, "What about Wavekit?"

Snowdust stared down at her son. He was going to be a large, muscular tom. It would be perfect for a future RiverClan warrior. "I like that name," she agreed, curling her tail around him. "My little Wavekit."

* * *

"From this moment forward, you shall be known as Wavepaw. Your mentor shall be Lakefoot," Talonstar yowled.

As Snowdust watched Wavepaw, her heart swelled with pride. It had been six moons since she had stolen him from Frostwing, and so far no cat was onto her. She hadn't seen or interacted with anyone in ShadowClan since that night, as she refused to attend Gatherings. She had learned, however, that Frostwing had died from the wounds she had inflicted. _She deserved to die,_ Snowdust thought bitterly.

"Mother! Mother!" Wavepaw's voice shook her from her thoughts. "Are you proud of me?" his green eyes gleamed with happiness as he looked up at her.

"Very proud," Snowdust purred, giving him a lick on the forehead. Turning to face Lakefoot she meowed, "I expect you to listen to Lakefoot and do what he says, okay?"

Wavepaw nodded. "I will," he promised, nuzzling Snowdust. Turning to face his mentor he asked, "Can we go now?"

Lakefoot let out a chuckle. "Sure, but first we have to wait for Splashpaw and Morningpaw." Splashpaw was a pretty silver she-cat, who was a few weeks younger than Wavepaw. The two had become inseparable, spending all their time playing together. _I'm so glad Wavepaw is fitting in._

"Hey, Snowtail!" a voice called out.

Snowdust let out a sigh. She still wasn't used to the warrior name Talonstar had given her. "Yes, Turtlestripe?"

"Do you want to join a hunting patrol with me and Briarpelt?" Turtlestripe asked, flicking his tail.

"Sure," she replied, before following him out of camp. As she walked, she could feel Alderpelt's gaze burning into her flank. She wasn't sure if the old medicine cat was onto her, or what. All she knew was that he had a deep hatred for her, which bothered her. _I've done nothing wrong!_

Snowdust skidded to a halt before meowing, "Actually, I'm not feeling well. How about we go hunting another time?"

Briarpelt stared at her, confused. "Okay, then. I hope you feel better." Together, he and Turtlestripe disappeared into the reeds, leaving Snowdust alone.

As the white she-cat crossed the clearing, Alderpelt stopped her. "You might fool them, but I know the truth, Snowdust." As he spoke, his hot breath tickled her face.

Glancing around the clearing, Snowdust begged, "Let's talk about this somewhere else."

Alderpelt flattened his ears to his head, but said nothing. Together, the two cats slipped out of camp and headed towards the gorge. Cautiously, Snowdust sat down at the edge, her neck fur bristling. "Why do you care?"

"You are a murderer and a kit thief!" Alderpelt growled.

"So what? You have no idea what kind of pain I've been through. My kits were murdered, and then my sister stole my mate. I had every right to take Wavepaw and raise him as my own. Besides, that's in the past. I'm a loyal warrior of RiverClan, and that's all that matters. I would never hurt another cat again," Snowdust argued, her eyes filling with tears. Was this old fleabag going to ruin her happiness?

"Plenty of cats are wronged in life," he retorted. "That doesn't give them the right to go around killing others to get what they want."

"It was an accident. I didn't set out to purposely kill Frostwing. She's my sister for StarClan's sake!" As she spoke, Snowdust suppressed the urge to claw him across the face.

"I'll keep my mouth shut for now, but just know I'm onto you," Alderpelt snarled, before stalking away in the direction of camp. As Snowdust watched him go, she narrowed her eyes. It wasn't safe to have Alderpelt around. He was a threat to her and Wavepaw. _I have no other choice,_ she realized. _I'll have to kill him._

* * *

Thunder rumbled above head as Snowdust stalked after Alderpelt. Tonight was the medicine cat meeting at Highstones, allowing for the perfect chance to strike. _This has to be perfect,_ she thought as she pressed her belly to the ground.

Around her, heather rustled in the wind, disguising her scent.

"What's StarClan like?" Nightpaw questioned, her amber eyes full of curiosity.

"They're mysterious," Alderpelt began. "But they're also helpful."

"What if they don't like me?" Nightpaw whimpered. "Will I have to stop being a medicine cat?"

Alderpelt shook his head. "Don't think like that. I'm sure StarClan will love you." He gently rested his tail across her shoulders before adding, "I was scared when my mentor first took me to Highstones, but it's really no big deal. You'll get used to it eventually."

The black she-cat nodded her head. "Thanks, Alderpelt. I don't know what I'd do without you." She pressed against him, squeezing her eyes shut. Suddenly, Nightpaw's head snapped up. "I think someone is following us."

 _Frog-dung!_ Snowdust silently cursed herself.

Alderpelt sniffed the air, before narrowing his eyes. "Snowdust!" he roared. "Show yourself immediately, or else!"

Snowdust remained where she was. Alderpelt began to lash his tail furiously, before stalking towards her.

"What's going on?" Nightpaw cried out, her tail bristling in fear.

"It's none of your concern," Alderpelt snapped, stepping in front of Snowdust. As he loomed over her, a low growl sounded in the she-cat's throat. "I know why you're here," he hissed, raking his claws into her shoulder. Snowdust let out a whimper, before rolling away. Claws unsheathed, she leaped at Alderpelt and knocked him to the ground.

"What are you doing?! Stop it!" Nightpaw screeched, trying to pull Snowdust off her mentor. Snowdust kicked the apprentice away, before aiming another blow at Alderpelt. The older tom grabbed Snowdust by the neck, and bit down hard. As his teeth sank into her throat, Snowdust could feel blood running down her flank.

Pulling free, she stood there, panting. She turned to look at Nightpaw, who was huddled on the ground in fear. Snowdust then leaped back onto Alderpelt. The weight of the attack made the medicine cat lose his footing, and tumble to the ground. As they wrestled, Snowdust aimed blow after blow to his stomach.

"Stop! The gorge!" Nightpaw cried out, rushing towards them.

Alderpelt was too quick. Fast as a fish, he slithered out of Snowdust's grip and pushed her back. Snowdust stumbled, before falling back. Roaring water sounded beneath her, before she hit the icy water. _Oh no!_

Snowdust struggled to find the surface, but the rough waves knocked her deeper and deeper. The sharp river stones scraped at her pelt, ripping her flesh. The water around her began to turn scarlet with blood. _My blood,_ she thought in horror. As she continued to fight the waves, Snowdust's body grew weaker and weaker. She couldn't breathe, and she was losing too much blood. Suddenly, the world around her went black, and she could feel no more.

* * *

Snowdust stalked through the stinking undergrowth, her stomach rumbling with hunger. It had been three years since her death, and she was still determined to get revenge. _If it hadn't been for that stupid apprentice, Alderpelt would have been mine!_ The thought of Nightsky made her blood boil. She hated that RiverClan medicine cat more than anything, even more than she hated Bearclaw and Frostwing.

Her heart then twisted with grief as she thought of the son she had left behind. _Waveheart._ Snowdust longed for her son, but she knew she would never see him again. I wonder how he's doing. Sighing, Snowdust sat down, tears welling in her eyes. It wasn't fair. She was a good cat! Sure, she had stolen Waveheart, and accidentally killed Frostwing, but she wasn't evil. _I don't deserve to be in the Dark Forest. This is for cats like One Eye and Slash! Not me._

Suddenly, the slimy undergrowth around her began to rustle. A few moments later, Silverhawk stepped out. "I've brought you some important news," he grumbled.

Snowdust's ears perked up. "What?" she demanded, leaping to her paws.

"Waveheart's got kits of his own," Silverhawk meowed, giving his chest fur a couple of licks. "A tom and a she-kit. Snowtuft says they're named Ripplekit and Minnowkit."

Snowdust's heart filled with pride. "How did you find this out?"

"Snowtuft ran into Alderpelt at the border with StarClan," Silverhawk explained. "I just thought I'd let you know, since these are your grandkits and all." Without saying another word, he stalked away. As Snowdust watched him leave, she let out a sigh. _Ripplekit and Minnowkit,_ she thought, wondering what her grandkits looked like. Narrowing her eyes, she felt determined to watch over the kits no matter what.

* * *

 **This is the longest chapter I've ever written. I hope you will all enjoy it, even though it was a bit of a filler. Even then, it set up some important information and it explained Snowdust's connection to Ripplesky. I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope you guys will like it. Also, thank you for all the feedback you've been giving me. I am so glad you guys are enjoying the story. I will try and have the next chapter uploaded ASAP.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

A cold wind rustled the reeds that surrounded camp. As Birchstar watched the plants sway in the wind, he let out a sigh. RiverClan had been fortunate so far this leafbare, but how long would it last?

Suddenly, the camp entrance rustled, alerting him of Ripplesky's presence. "How was the meeting?" he called out, padding towards the young medicine cat.

Ripplesky's blue eyes were full of fear. "I need to speak with you in private," he whispered, glancing around the clearing.

Birchstar dipped his head, before padding into his den. As he took a seat in his nest, he couldn't help but think of Morningstar. She had been gone for two moons now, and he thought of her every day. It was hard not to; she was a big part of his life and the mother of his kits. _My kits,_ Birchstar thought in anguish. The RiverClan leader quickly pushed the thought away, before directing his attention back to Ripplesky. "What's going on? Has StarClan given you a prophecy?"

The medicine cat quickly shook his head. "It's SkyClan. Bumblebee says Flystar is planning to drive ThunderClan from the forest."

Birchstar's eyes widened. "Drive them from the forest? How is he going to do that?"

"He wants you and Swiftstar to help him," Ripplesky explained.

"But why now?" Birchstar wondered. ThunderClan had been terrorizing the forest for seasons, so why did Flystar want to deal with them now?

"They've been stealing herbs and trespassing on SkyClan's territory. An elder recently died from sickness, as there was no herbs left to treat him," Ripplesky said.

Birchstar looked down at his paws, lost in thought. "I'd have to speak with Flystar before I make any decision," he whispered. Truth be told, he didn't want to chase ThunderClan from the forest. Despite everything they had been doing lately, Birchstar felt it wasn't fair to punish the entire Clan. It was Ravenstar's fault the Clan was running out of control, not the warriors. After all, she was the one making choices and letting her cats get away with whatever they wanted.

"I think we should stay out of this," Ripplesky meowed. He opened his mouth to say something more, before padding out of the den.

As Birchstar watched him go, he let out a sigh.

* * *

It had been four sunrises since his talk with Ripplesky, and Birchstar hadn't heard from Flystar. He had thought about visiting the SkyClan leader himself, but decided against it. _He'll come visit me if he wants to talk._

Pushing the thoughts away, Birchstar gazed out across the clearing. Lilypelt's three kits, Sloekit, Duckkit and Cloudkit were all wrestling beside the nursery. A purr rose up in the leader's throat as he watched them play. Reedpaw and Frogpaw were the last kits to be born, so it was refreshing to have a new litter born.

"Cloudkit, be gentle with your sister!" Lilypelt called out, before pulling Cloudkit off Sloekit's back.

"I _am_ being gentle," the cream-colored tom kit protested, lashing his tiny tail.

"No, you're not!" Sloekit argued, giving her ruffled fur a few licks. "You ripped a clump of fur from my shoulder."

Lilypelt's eyes widened. "Are you okay?" she demanded.

Sloekit nodded. "I'm okay," she said, before yawning.

Lilypelt let out a sigh of relief, before herding her kits into the nursery. "I think it's time you three have a nap."

"But I'm not tired!" Duckkit argued.

"You will be later," his mother said, picking him up by the scruff.

As the queen and her kits disappeared into the nursery, Birchstar couldn't help but think of his own kits. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Rainfall and Pikeheart heading towards him. Standing to his paws, he hurried towards them. "Is something wrong?"

Pikeheart exchanged glances with Rainfall. "There's a SkyClan patrol at the border. They want to talk to you."

"Why didn't you bring them back to camp?" Birchstar demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"We weren't sure if you wanted visitors," Rainfall said.

"Fetch them and bring them back immediately," the RiverClan leader ordered. After a few minutes of waiting, his warriors returned to camp, the SkyClan cats in tow. At the lead was Flystar, followed by Petalfall and Bumblebee.

"Greetings, Birchstar. I hope we aren't coming at a bad time," Flystar meowed, dipping his head.

Birchstar shook his head. "You're fine," he told him, before leading Flystar towards his den. Once both leaders had gotten comfortable he said, "Ripplesky told me of your plans."

"Yes, Bumblebee said she told him. So, are you in or not?" Flystar's gaze burned into Birchstar's pelt, making him grow hot.

"I don't know..." Birchstar murmured. "Surely StarClan wouldn't approve? After all, there's supposed to be five Clans in the forest."

Flystar's neck fur began to bristle. "And you think StarClan would approve of ThunderClan's behavior?" Birchstar opened his mouth to reply, but Flystar quickly continued, "If there is supposed to be five Clans in the forest, explain why there are only four seasons? Or why there are only four oaks at Fourtrees? ThunderClan does not deserve to live in this forest anymore. Everyone would be better off without them!" The SkyClan leader's eyes were blazing with fury as he spoke.

Birchstar's heartbeat quickened as he watched Flystar. "The number of seasons or amount of trees have nothing to do with the Clans. These things have been around longer than the Clans were even thought of. It's foolish to even think-"

"Why are you standing up for them?" Flystar demanded. "They killed Morningstar!"

The RiverClan leader flattened his ears to his head. "I'm not defending them," he argued. "I just don't think StarClan would approve of this."

"So you won't help us?" Flystar questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"I never said that," Birchstar huffed, growing annoyed with the SkyClan tom. He wanted to avenge Morningstar's death, but he wasn't sure it would be worth it. ThunderClan had a strong army, and had already proven time and time again they would fight like rogues. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to teach them a lesson," he finally decided.

Flystar's eyes gleamed. "Good to hear," he whispered. "The battle will be tomorrow, so make sure your warriors are prepared."

* * *

All was quiet as the RiverClan warriors made their way towards Fourtrees. When they reached the rise, Birchstar paused to scent the air. _We're early,_ he realized. As he lead his cats down into the clearing, Birchstar couldn't help but feel panicked. They were supposed to meet WindClan here for the battle. What if Swiftstar had changed his mind and backed out?

As if he could read Birchstar's thoughts, Puddlefur meowed, "Where is WindClan? You said they would be here."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Splashflower said.

Birchstar leaped onto the Great Rock as he waited for WindClan. The gray-brown tom glanced down at his warriors, fear clinging to his pelt. He had brought along every cat, except for Sootpelt, Minnowfur, Ripplesky and Lilypelt. Ripplesky and Minnowfur had tried arguing with him, but he had refused to bring them along. If ThunderClan retaliated by attacking RiverClan's camp, Birchstar wanted to make sure there were enough cats to help Lilypelt and the kits escape.

Suddenly, the undergrowth rustled, alerting him of another cat's presence. A few seconds later, a stream of WindClan cats came pouring into the clearing. Swiftstar was at the lead, his eyes shining bright. "I'm sorry we kept you waiting. My warriors and I had to deal with a fox."

Birchstar dipped his head. "We haven't been waiting too long. Shall we get going?"

Swiftstar nodded, before heading in the direction of ThunderClan's territory. Birchstar leaped down from the Great Rock and followed after him. As they trekked through the thick undergrowth, Birchstar kept his ears pricked for any signs of ThunderClan. _I wonder where Flystar is._

When they neared camp, Swiftstar paused. The WindClan leader lifted his tail up, signaling for all cats to stop. Turning to face Birchstar he whispered, "I'm going to take my warriors around the left side. Flystar said he would come in from the right."

"So you want us to enter from the front?" the RiverClan leader asked.

Swiftstar nodded. "Precisely."

As the WindClan warriors positioned themselves, Birchstar looked around for SkyClan. To his relief, he spotted lithe shapes slinking through the undergrowth, surrounding the right side of ThunderClan's camp. _We've got them surrounded._ Birchstar let out a sigh, before stalking close to the camp entrance. Briarpelt and Waveheart flanked him, their shallow breaths sounding in his ear.

Finally, Flystar's yowl sounded. Waves of SkyClan cats poured into ThunderClan's camp. RiverClan and WindClan followed after them. The once quiet clearing was now alive with wrestling cats. _This won't be much of a fight,_ Birchstar realized quickly. ThunderClan was badly outnumbered. They would stand no chance against three Clans.

Jumping into battle, Birchstar hooked his claws into Duskfur's pelt. The silver she-cat spun around, hissing, before aiming a blow to his muzzle. Birchstar nipped at her back leg, pulling clumps of fur out. As he turned to spit her fur out, Duskfur clawed at his shoulder. The two cats wrestled on the ground for a few minutes, before Duskfur pulled away and raced into the undergrowth.

As Birchstar watched her go, he spotted Frogpaw fighting against a gray tabby apprentice. As he watched the apprentice, Birchstar felt a sense of pride. Frogpaw was a formidable fighter, and would be an excellent warrior some day. Turning away from the apprentices, Birchstar looked around for a cat he could take on. There weren't many options, as most of the ThunderClan warriors were already fighting against another cat.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ravenstar locked in battle against a small gray-and-white tom. For a second, Birchstar thought she was fighting against a young apprentice. He then realized it was Cloudstorm, a young SkyClan warrior. Ravenstar had him pinned, and was ready to give him a killing bite. Birchstar raced forward, ready to help his ally, but Cloudstorm was too quick.

As hard as he could, Cloudstorm kicked up with his back legs, knocking the breath from Ravenstar. The black she-cat fell off, gasping for a breath. Now vulnerable, Cloudstorm jumped onto her shoulders, pulling her to the ground. The two cats wrestled on the ground, screeching and yowling. Ravenstar jerked around under his weight, trying to free herself. Finally, the ThunderClan she-cat pulled free, a clump of her fur hanging from the corner of Cloudstorm's mouth.

Ravenstar turned and fled, climbing to the top of the High Rock. The gray-and-white SkyClan tom chased after her, his eyes narrowed with determination. As he climbed up to the top of the High Rock, Ravenstar flattened herself to the ground. "Stay back!" she warned, her eyes wide with fear.

Cloudstorm wriggled his haunches, before springing on top of her. As they fought, Birchstar noticed they were heading straight towards the edge. While the High Rock wasn't that large, a fall from the top would cause serious injures, and perhaps even death.

"Watch out!" he yowled, coming to the rescue.

It was too late though. As Ravenstar reared up to aim a blow at Cloudstorm's shoulder, she lost her footing and fell back. Cloudstorm tried to grab her, but it was too late. Before Ravenstar could even react or twist herself around, she landed on her neck, breaking it instantly.

The clearing grew silent as the cats gathered around her body. "Is she dead?" Stoatfur questioned, hovering over her body.

Redheart pushed his way through the crowd, his eyes blazing with fury. Pushing Stoatfur aside he hissed, "You've killed her!"

"She was asking for it," Pikeheart spat, echoing Ravenstar's words after she had killed Morningstar.

"We weren't doing anything," the ThunderClan deputy - now leader - growled. Turning to face Cloudstorm he screeched, "This is all your fault!"

Cloudstorm shrank back, eyes wide. "It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen."

"I don't care. You still killed her, and I'll never forgive you for it. I will make SkyClan pay for this, if it's the last thing I do!" Redheart lashed his tail back and forth before ordering, "Get out of my camp immediately."

"No," Swiftstar argued as he limped forward. "We won this battle, so we want you to leave the forest at once."

"Why should we? This is our home, and it always has been. My Clan has already been defeated, isn't that enough for you? Can't you just leave us alone?"

Swiftstar opened his mouth to speak, but Birchstar cut him off. "Redheart's right. ThunderClan is too weak to be a threat to us. Let's just go home." Gathering up his warriors, Birchstar headed up the ravine and towards the river. In the distance, he could hear WindClan and SkyClan following after him.

* * *

 **This chapter was originally going to be from Cloudstorm (Cloudstar)'s point of view, but I was having bad writer's block. I had trouble writing this as well, so I went back and rewrote it. I'm very pleased at how it turned out, even though I was having trouble. I hope you will all enjoy it. Also, thanks so much for all the reviews. :)**

 **Thanks for reading! Next chapter will return to Ripplesky's point of view.**

 **To Echoheart: Of course! I'll look forward to seeing it.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Ripplesky suppressed a yawn as he followed his Clanmates towards Fourtrees. He had been awake all day, treating Cloudkit after the young tom had slipped and fell into the river. The kit was fine now, but Ripplesky felt exhausted. He didn't understand why medicine cats were obligated to attend Gatherings. What kind of information would be so important his Clanmates couldn't tell him?

Up ahead, Birchstar paused. The tabby leader raised his tail into the air, before dashing down into the clearing blow. ShadowClan, WindClan and ThunderClan had already arrived by the time the RiverClan cats got settled.

"Hello, Ripplesky!" Larkpaw greeted as he took a seat beside the other medicine cats.

Ripplesky flicked his tail. "Hi."

"Someone's grumpy tonight!" Larkpaw laughed.

"Ripplesky is always grumpy," Willowblaze teased, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

The RiverClan tom let out an annoyed snort. "I'll have you know I've been awake all day, taking care of a half-drowned kit."

Larkpaw's eyes widened. "Is the kit okay?" she squeaked.

He nodded. "Yeah, he's fine now. But I'm not. I feel like I could fall over on my paws at any second." As he looked at the other medicine cats, he realized Breezetail was not there. "Where's Breezetail?"

Larkpaw shuffled her paws awkwardly. "Breezetail is dying. I don't think she's going to make it to morning." Tears glistened in her eyes as she spoke, making Ripplesky feel sorry for the young apprentice.

Honeyleaf draped her tail across the WindClan she-cat's shoulders. "It's going to be all right, Larkpaw. Breezetail has lived a long and generous life, and StarClan will welcome her with open paws."

"I know, but... I don't think I can handle being a medicine cat all by myself. It's hard work!"

"If you ever need help, we're here for you. Each and every one of us would be more than glad to help you out," Honeyleaf meowed.

 _Don't drag me into this! I have my own Clan to worry about,_ Ripplesky thought irritably. He held his tongue though, knowing his sharp words would only upset Larkpaw further.

The medicine cats chatted among themselves, until finally SkyClan arrived. Flystar's eyes were full of embarrassment as he leaped onto the Great Rock. Without saying an apology he yowled, "Let this Gathering begin!"

As the clearing grew silent, Swiftstar stepped forward. "I have good and bad news this moon," the WindClan leader began. "Our medicine cat, Breezetail, is close to joining StarClan. She was medicine cat when I was kitted, so she has served us long and well. We appreciate everything she has done for us, and I hope the trip to StarClan is painless and quick." After the cats had murmured their grievances, the gray tom continued, "Now onto the good news. WindClan has two new warriors this moon: Dewclaw and Sundrop. Grassleap has also given birth to three kits, which she has named Parsleykit, Ryekit, and Sorrelkit."

When Swiftstar was done reporting, Birchstar took a step forward. "There is not much to report for RiverClan this moon. Lilypelt's kits are growing quickly, and prey is plentiful for this time of year. We are truly blessed, and for that I am grateful." Dipping his head to Redstar, he stepped back.

Compared to the other leaders, Redstar looked like a ragged rogue. His pelt was dull and thin, and he was missing clumps of fur all over his body. Even in leafbare, Ripplesky had never seen a cat look so unkempt and sick. Turning to face Flystar he yowled, "SkyClan has done a deplorable deed, with the help of RiverClan and WindClan."

Bramblestar's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" Redstar spat. "I guess I can't be surprised. Flystar, Birchstar and Swiftstar are no better than rogues. They teamed up to drive ThunderClan out of the forest, killing Ravenstar, Dovewhisker, Cinderpelt, Snowclaw and Goosewing. It was an unjust attack that should have never happened. StarClan condemns you for such treachery!"

"Why didn't you tell me of your plans?" Bramblestar asked Flystar.

Redstar's neck fur began to bristle. "You think they're right?" he demanded, his eyes blazing with fury.

The ShadowClan leader narrowed his eyes. "Stop acting like an innocent victim, Redstar. You know just as well as I do that ThunderClan has been terrorizing us for seasons. You attacked my Clan in the middle of the night for no reason, killing several of my warriors. And before that, you placed a raid on RiverClan shortly after their territory had burned down. And if my memory serves me correctly, didn't ThunderClan attack WindClan as well during the drought last year?"

Swiftstar nodded. "That's right. Burrowstar lost a life in that battle!"

"We're warriors, not kittypets. Fighting is what we do!" Redstar argued.

"You're wrong, Redstar. Warriors fight when there is a reason to fight. Rogues are the ones who plan attacks for no reason other than to make themselves look strong. Flystar, Birchstar and Swiftstar had ever right to stand up for themselves. You better thank the stars I wasn't apart of that raid, because you wouldn't be standing here right now if I had been. You and all the rest of your warriors would be six fox-lengths under, rotting right along with Ravenstar." Bramblestar unsheathed his claws as he spoke, as if to prepare himself if Redstar decided to attack.

Redstar lashed his tail back and forth angrily. "You're going to pay for this, in one way or another." Leaping down from the Great Rock, the ThunderClan leader began to gather his cats up.

As they climbed up the slope to leave, Flystar called out, "Good! No one wants you here anyways. Just look at the sky; not a cloud in sight! StarClan is on our side!"

Once every cat had calmed down, Flystar and Bramblestar made their announcements. There was nothing very eventful to talk about, so the Gathering began to break up. As Ripplesky followed his Clanmates in the direction of camp, Willowblaze stopped him. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Make it quick." Ripplesky slipped into the brown undergrowth, before taking a seat.

"Are you mad at me?" she blurted out.

"No. Why do you think that?" Ripplesky stared at her in shock. What was Willowblaze going on about _this_ time?

The pale brown she-cat shuffled her paws in the snow. "Well, you've been acting rather cold towards me lately. I just thought maybe I had done something to make you upset."

The silver tom shook his head. "No, you haven't done anything to upset me. But how am I supposed to treat you? You're not my Clanmate, so of course I'm not going to be overly friendly with you. I'm not a very friendly cat in general, though. I'm sorry if I came off as angry, but I'm not. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"Ripplesky, wait!" Willowblaze's eyes were filled with annoyance. "I know we aren't Clanmates, but that doesn't excuse the fact you've been brushing me off. I really like you, Ripplesky. I have since the day we met. You're different from the rest of us medicine cats. You didn't chose this lifestyle. You were forced into it by a cruel cat you couldn't stand. Despite that, you didn't give up. You continued to try your best, and you're honestly the most committed medicine cat I know of. You're even better than Honeyleaf, or Bumblebee!"

Ripplesky's eyes widened. "You... You really mean it?" His heart swelled with pride as he stared at Willowblaze. No cat had ever told him something like that.

"I do," she whispered, her gaze softening. "That's why it hurts me to think you don't like me. I think so highly of you, and it would just crush me if..." she trailed off, too upset to finish.

"I've always liked you, Willowblaze. But I just can't allow myself to get involved with a cat from another Clan." His throat tightened as he thought about all the horrible things he had done. "I-I've done some horrible things in the past, and I'm not sure StarClan will welcome me anymore. Getting attached to other cats and putting them ahead of my Clanmates would just make things worse."

Willowblaze brushed against him. "You're not a bad cat, Ripplesky. I don't care what anyone says."

Ripplesky narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "If you knew the things I've done, you'd surely change your mind. I am not a good cat, Willowblaze. I just ruin everyone's lives, and I'd probably end up doing the same to you. Goodbye." Without saying another word to her, he spun around and raced towards the river.

* * *

 **I'm sorry this chapter took a few weeks to get up. I just haven't been in a writing mood lately. As always, thank you for reading and thank you for all the feedback and support you've given me. I will try to update again quickly, but sadly I cannot make any promises.**


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Ripplesky sat at the entrance of his den, looking out across the clearing. RiverClan had been fortunate so far this leafbare, but how long would their luck last? Sighing, the silver tom retreated back into the warmth of his den.

Suddenly, the entrance rustled, alerting him. "Who is it?" he called out, whiskers twitching.

"It's me," Minnowfur's familiar voice sounded. "We haven't spent time together in a while. I was just thinking if you were free we could go on a walk..." she trailed off.

Ripplesky nodded. "I'm free right now."

Minnowfur's blue eyes sparkled. "Great! Let's get going!"

Together they padded out of camp, their silver pelts brushing against each other. "I have so much I want to tell you," she meowed quietly. Taking a deep breath she continued with, "I think once Frogpaw becomes a warrior, we're going to be mates. I've liked him for a while now, and he told me last night he feels the same way!"

Ripplesky's eyes widened. "What? You and Frogpaw?"

"Do you have a problem with that?" she questioned, sounding hurt. Flattening her ears to her head she snapped, "Look, if you're going to be grumpy just go back to camp."

"I'm not being grumpy! I was just surprised is all. Keep your fur on," Ripplesky snapped, lashing his tail back and forth. "I'm happy for you."

Minnowfur gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. "You don't sound very happy. You sound jealous."

"I _am_ jealous," the silver tom growled, digging his claws into the snow. "You have everything I ever wanted, Minnowfur. You're a warrior, you have a mate... I don't have any of that, and I never will all because of Nightsky. She forced me to give up everything!"

His sister stared at him in shock. "I think it's time to stop playing the victim," she whispered, looking down at her paws.

"What are you talking about? I'm not 'playing the victim'! I have every right to be upset," Ripplesky hissed, narrowing his eyes. _How could she say that?_

Minnowfur looked up, her eyes full of annoyance. "It's time to get over it, Ripplesky. It happened moons ago. You can't keep going through life holding a grudge against everyone because they have a better life than you. If you're so miserable, then leave! No one is stopping you. But I'm sick of hearing about how terrible your life is, and how Nightsky ruined everything. _Everyone_ is sick of hearing it."

Without thinking, Ripplesky lashed out at her. His claws sank into her cheek, ripping skin and fur. Blood immediately welled at the scratch marks, causing his eyes to widen. "Minnowfur-" he began.

"You clawed me!" she shrieked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!"

Minnowfur began to back away from him, her eyes full of fear. "I never thought you would hurt me. What's gotten into you?"

"I didn't mean it," he repeated, taking a step towards her.

Minnowfur shook her head, before dashing in the direction of camp. Ripplesky wanted to chase after her, but he knew it was useless. He would never catch up to her now, especially since his chest was tightening up. Letting out a hiss of frustration, he stalked back to camp, his ears flattened to his head. Why had Minnowfur acted like that? He had just told her how he felt!

 _Do cats really think I'm playing the victim?_ Pushing the thoughts away, he entered camp. To his relief, no cat seemed to know what had just went down between him and his sister.

"You look upset," Waveheart murmured as Ripplesky walked past.

"Minnowfur and I got into a fight," the medicine cat grumbled, not in the mood to talk.

Waveheart wrapped his tail around his son. "I'm sure she'll get over it eventually. Just remember, it's normal for siblings to fight once and a while."

"I clawed her," Ripplesky confessed, tears welling up in his eyes.

Before his father could say anything more, Pebblestripe, Brambletail and Swanfeather raced into camp, followed by an unfamiliar ginger tom. "We've caught the rogue that killed Nightsky!" Pebblestripe screeched.

Immediately, Birchstar raced from his den, eyes wide.

"You've got the wrong cat! I didn't do it," the ginger tom cried out.

Birchstar stalked up to the ginger tom, his eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"My name is Ember," the ginger tom gulped, pressing himself to the ground. "I swear I didn't kill any cat. I don't even know who this Nightscar is!"

"Nightsky," Birchstar correctly harshly. Glancing towards his warriors he asked, "How do you know this is him?"

"We've been picking up his scent towards the gorge for moons now. It's almost as if he's been spying on his," Brambletail meowed.

Ember's eyes glistened with tears. "That's because I have a den around here. My mate was just killed a half moon ago by a badger. We have a son together, and I can't take a chance by moving him to a new location. I would never spy or kill anyone."

As Ripplesky watched, he felt his throat tighten up. Who would Birchstar believe?

"Why should I believe you?" the RiverClan leader snarled. "You don't even carry the scent of kits on your fur." Turning to face Pebblestripe he growled, "I think we should execute him."

Ember leaped to his paws and made a run towards the camp entrance. Swanfeather and Brambletail leaped onto him, pinning him down. Ember struggled under their weight, but he could not escape. "Please let me go! I didn't do it!"

Together, the two RiverClan she-cats dragged him into the center of the clearing, where they continued to pin him down. Birchstar stood over him, his eyes blazing with fury. "I don't want to do this, but you've given me no choice. By killing our medicine cat, you have broken the peace we once had with rogues. I cannot let you live after this."

"I didn't do it," Ember repeated one last time.

Ripplesky stood there in shock. He wanted to speak up, but he couldn't find any words. As he watched Birchstar execute Ember, his heart began to pound wildly and his chest tightened up. Pretty soon, the silver medicine cat felt as if he was stuck in a trance, unable to move or think.

"Go bury him," Birchstar sighed, snapping Ripplesky from his thoughts. Swanfeather, Pebblestripe and Brambletail nodded, before gathering around the body.

Blinking, Ripplesky glanced down at Ember's dead body. _Another cat is dead because of me,_ he thought, his stomach churning. _I should have said something!_ He then remembered Ember's son. "Birchstar," he croaked.

Birchstar spun around to face him. "What?"

"We need to find Ember's son. Otherwise he'll die," Ripplesky meowed.

Birchstar's eyes glistened with tears, but he said nothing. "All right. Take Pikeheart with you." Without saying another word, the RiverClan leader headed for his den, his tail dragging in the dirt.

After finding the deputy, Ripplesky headed out of camp, Pikeheart trailing after him. "His scent trail leads this way," Pikeheart commented, sniffing at some reeds.

Stepping back, the medicine cat allowed for Pikeheart to take the lead. They followed the scent trail towards a grove of aspen trees, before coming to a halt. Pricking his ears, Ripplesky tried to see if he could hear any tiny cries. To his relief, he picked up a faint mewling sound coming from a clump of ferns.

"I found him," Ripplesky meowed, pushing back the ferns to reveal a tiny ginger kit, about a moon old.

The ginger kit shrank back, hissing. "Who are you?"

"Your father has sent me," he lied. As Ripplesky looked down at the little kit, he could feel tears forming in his eyes. How could he possibly tell the kit that his father was dead? _All because of me._

"Where is he?" the kit squeaked, looking past Ripplesky.

"He had to go on a little trip, so I'll be taking care of you from now on," Ripplesky said.

"When will he be back?"

"I-I don't know. I'm sure he'll be back soon. For now, you'll have to come live with me." Ripplesky gently picked up the kit in his jaws, before padding back to Pikeheart. As soon as the deputy laid eyes on the kit, he let out a heavy sigh.

"What is your name, little fellow?" Pikeheart questioned.

"Nick," the kit answered, completely oblivious to Pikeheart's sadness.

"Well, Nick, Ripplesky and I will be taking care of you for now on. There's a whole bunch of us back at camp, even more kits you can play with. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Nick nodded happily. "I know. He said my daddy had to go on a trip for a while, but I don't mind. I just hope he comes back soon. I miss him a lot."

Pikeheart exchanged glances with Ripplesky, but said nothing more. When they arrived at camp, Birchstar was waiting for them at the camp entrance. "I see you've found him," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "Take him to the nursery so Lilypelt can look after him. I'm sure he's tired and hungry."

Ripplesky nodded, before carrying the kit into the nursery. Lilypelt was sitting up in her nest, with her three kits curled beside her belly. "Birchstar told me everything. Just lay him down here, and I'll take good care of him." Carefully, the medicine cat placed Nick down beside Lilypelt. The ginger tom let out a big yawn, before curling up beside her. As Lilypelt lulled him to sleep, Ripplesky backed out of the den.

"I feel completely awful," Birchstar confessed as soon as Ripplesky walked out. "I should have let him go. Now that poor little kit has no family. Just think what Morningstar would say!"

Ripplesky flattened his ears to his head. Deep inside, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt. Slowly he opened his mouth and whispered, "Can I talk to you in your den?"

Birchstar blinked in surprise, before leading him inside. Once both toms were settled, the RiverClan leader asked, "What's wrong?"

The silver tom took a deep breath. Thoughts were racing through his head. "Ember didn't kill Nightsky," Ripplesky muttered. "I did."

* * *

 **Once _again_ , I'm sorry I haven't been updating regularly. Just after I posted the last chapter, my computer broke again. I'm also very busy with school work. But thank you for all the support you guys are giving me. I appreciate it so much, and I hope you will like this chapter.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Birchstar stared at Ripplesky in shock, before shouting, "No! I don't believe it."

"It's true. I did it," Ripplesky meowed, looking down at his paws. "I lead Nightsky away from camp and killed her, before dumping her body into the gorge."

"Stop lying to me, Ripplesky. I know you would never do anything like that. You're a good cat." Birchstar paced back and forth, his eyes wide. "Please tell me you're lying."

The silver tom slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid not." _Will Birchstar exile me? Or worse... What if he kills me?_

The den was silent for several long moments, before the RiverClan leader growled, "Why did you do it?"

Ripplesky gulped. "I-I _had_ to. Nightsky was a horrible medicine cat. If I hadn't killed her, RiverClan would be in danger." For a second, he was tempted to tell Birchstar about Snowdust, but he kept his mouth shut. _That would make the entire situation worse,_ he decided.

Birchstar lashed his tail back and forth, a growl sounding in his throat. "Nightsky may have been scatterbrained, but in no way was she a danger to the Clan." He was quiet for a few more seconds before adding, "The Clan must never know the truth. They must always think Ember killed her, or else everything will fall apart."

The medicine cats eyes widened. "You're not going to punish me?"

Birchstar shook his head. "I can't. You're our only medicine cat. If I exiled you, we would be vulnerable. Let's just pretend this conversation never happened, and that Ember really did do it. Okay?"

Ripplesky nodded. "Okay," he whispered, before backing out of the den.

* * *

Five sunrises had passed since Ripplesky had told Birchstar the truth. Since then, Birchstar had been avoiding him.

Suddenly, the leader slipped out of his den, catching Ripplesky's attention. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather for a Clan meeting!" Birchstar yowled, his head held high.

Ripplesky's stomach churned nervously as he padded forward. _What if Birchstar changed his mind?_ he thought in a panic. _What if he really does exile me?_

To his relief, he spotted Lilypelt and her kits pad forward. Nick trailed after them, his eyes wide. "Who are all these cats?" he squeaked.

Lilypelt wrapped her tail around Nick's tiny shoulders. "They're here to watch your ceremony," she meowed.

"I don't want a ceremony," Nick protested, wriggling out of her grip. "I just want my daddy to come home. He's been gone forever!"

A flash of sadness crossed the queen's face, but she said nothing. Instead she just have the little ginger tom a few licks on the forehead, in an attempt to calm him down.

Once every cat had settled, Birchstar beckoned for Nick to come forward. "From this day forward, you shall be known as Foxkit. StarClan welcomes you as a new member of RiverClan." The leader's eyes were full of pride as he bent down to touch his nose to Foxkit.

Foxkit pulled back in alarm. "I don't want to change my name," he cried out.

"What do you mean? Don't you want to be a RiverClan cat?" Sloekit squeaked, narrowing her eyes.

Foxkit shook his head. "I just want to go home, with my dad. I-It's nice here and all, but I miss my family."

Sloekit let out a sigh. "You don't get it, do you?" she whispered. "Your dad is never coming back."

"Sloekit!" Lilypelt scolded, pulling her daughter away. "Keep your mouth shut!"

The little she-cat flattened her ears to her head. "Why do you keep lying to him? He's going to find out sooner or later!" she spat.

Lilypelt glared at her daughter. "He's too young to know," she said in a hushed tone.

Foxkit stared at the two she-cats, a hurt look plastered on his face. "What's going on?" he asked, his eyes filling up with tears. "Please, just tell me."

This time, Birchstar was the one to speak. "Your father isn't coming back. He's dead."

Foxkit's eyes widened in horror. "What?" Before any cat could comfort him, Foxkit raced towards the nursery. Lilypelt hesitated for a few moments, before following after him. Sloekit, Duckkit and Cloudkit tried to follow after her, but their father, Puddlefur, stopped them.

"Why don't you see if Sootpelt has some stories for you?" the black-and-white tom said, nudging his kits in the direction of the elders den.

As soon as everything calmed down, Ripplesky quickly headed back to his den. Sighing, the silver tom began to sort through his herbs. It was a boring task and he hated every minute of it, but he knew it had to be done. "Looks like we're running low on sorrel," he whispered to himself.

"Can I speak with you?" Birchstar's voice sounded at the entrance of his den.

Ripplesky nodded slowly, his throat tightening up. "What is it?" he whispered, slightly afraid of Birchstar.

"I've made up my mind," Birchstar began, circling around the medicine cat. "As soon as Lilypelt's kits as six moons old, you are to take one as your apprentice. Once they've completed their training and have received their full medicine cat name, you are to leave and never come back. I will tell the Clan you have been killed by rogues, and if I catch you on our territory I will kill you myself. Is that clear?" Birchstar's gaze was filled with fury as he glared at Ripplesky.

A growl rose up in Ripplesky's throat. "No! I'm not going to do that, and you can't make me."

"I'm the leader, I can do whatever I want!" Birchstar hissed, lashing his tail back and forth.

"But I didn't do anything wrong!" he cried out.

"Have you forgotten you killed Nightsky? That's against the warrior code and you know it. I have every right to exile you," Birchstar said.

Without saying another word, Ripplesky stormed past his leader. As quick as he could, the silver tom raced for the Twoleg bridge. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but he knew he had to be quick. _I can't believe he's trying to get rid of me! Doesn't he realize I've done him a favor?_ Letting out a hiss of frustration, Ripplesky plopped down on the ground.

As he sat there, he listened to the thawing undergrowth around him. All of a sudden, the undergrowth began to rustle violently. "Who's there?" the medicine cat demanded. When no reply came he snorted, "This isn't funny, Birchstar. Stop trying to scare me."

A stinking scent began to fill the clearing, alerting the medicine cat. "I need to get out of here," he whispered, leaping to his paws. Slowly, he began to head towards the Twoleg Bridge, his heart pounding wildly. As he walked, a loud thumping sound followed after him. _Great! I'm being followed. I can't go back to camp now._ Spinning around, Ripplesky unsheathed his claws, ready to defend himself against whatever beast was following him.

A few moments later, a dog stepped out. It's black eyes were bright with excitement, and it wagged it's tail wildly. Before Ripplesky could react, the dog lunged forward and grabbed him by the shoulder. Letting out a screech, Ripplesky pulled himself free. The dog's teeth ripped his skin and fur, causing blood to splatter everywhere. The medicine cat began to limp away as fast as he could, but the dog was too quick for him.

Again, the slobbering beast jumped on him and began to clamp his jaws around Ripplesky's body. _I'm going to die!_ he thought in alarm. Finally, the dog let him go, leaving Ripplesky alone. As he lay there, the silver tom gasped for breath. His entire body was stinging, and there was blood in his eyes. He could hear the dog circle back towards him, but before it reached him, Ripplesky blacked out.

* * *

"Ripplesky! Ripplesky, wake up!"

"Where am I?" he groaned, slowly sitting up. As he blinked his eyes open, all Ripplesky could see where dark shapes. The smell of toadstool and pine washed over him, making him panic. _Am I in the Dark Forest?_

"You're in ShadowClan's camp," a familiar voice whispered. Ripplesky tried to figure out who was speaking to him, but his mind was hazy.

"Why am I in ShadowClan?" he slurred, still groggy. Before the cat could respond, Ripplesky slipped back into unconsciousness.

A few hours later, the medicine cat sat up, fully awake. In the distance, he could see the glow of pale sunlight. _I must have been knocked out all day,_ Ripplesky thought, standing to his paws. As he stretched, he could feel his wounds tearing open.

"Ripplesky, sit back down!" the voice from earlier shrieked, pushing him back down in his nest. "You'll tear your wounds back open, and that's the last thing we need."

"Is this Willowblaze?" he asked, still slightly confused.

"Yes," she told him quietly as she applied a poultice to his wounds.

"What am I doing in ShadowClan?" Ripplesky wondered.

A flash of pain crossed Willowblaze's face as she told him, "I was out gathering herbs with Cedarheart and Beechfur, when we heard screaming coming from the opposite side of the Thunderpath. I knew it was you, so we all quickly ran to help you. A dog was attacking you, and if we hadn't arrived when we did, you would have died." She was silent for a few moments before whispering, "I was so scared. I was afraid I'd lose you." Slowly, she leaned forward and pressed her muzzle to his.

Ripplesky pulled back in alarm. _What is she doing?_ "W-Why didn't you take me back to RiverClan?"

Willowblaze looked slightly hurt, but she continued on as if nothing had happened. "Because you wouldn't have anyone to care for you there," she meowed. "Don't worry, though. Bramblestar had Rowancloud tell Birchstar what happened."

"Thank you," Ripplesky purred.

Before Willowblaze could say anything more, Honeyleaf sat up in her nest and yawned. "Hello Ripplesky. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm very sore, but I think I'll be okay," he told her.

Honeyleaf's eyes gleamed. "I'm glad to hear that. I was starting to think there was an ill omen going around. Two medicine cats dead in one night? That wouldn't have been good."

"Two medicine cats?" Ripplesky stared at the ShadowClan she-cat in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Breezetail passed away last night," Willowblaze said softly. "Larkpaw came to share the news with us after she went to the Moonstone to receive her full medicine cat name. She's Larkwing now."

Ripplesky frowned. "How is she doing?"

"She's upset, but she's pulling together," Honeyleaf told him, before sniffing at his wounds. Turning to Willowblaze she ordered, "Fetch some dried oak leaves. I think this wound on his back is starting to get infected."

Willowblaze nodded, before digging through their herb store. A few seconds later she dropped a bundle of oak leaves down in front of her mentor. "Is he going to be all right?"

Honeyleaf nodded, before chewing up the leaves and applying it to Ripplesky's wound. "There you go."

"Thanks," he said, standing to his paws. "Can I go home now?"

Honeyleaf and Willowblaze shook their heads. "You can't go home yet. It's far too dangerous!" Willowblaze protested. "You need to stay here until your wounds have completely healed up."

"I need to get home, though," Ripplesky growled. "There's no one to take care of my Clanmates. What if someone gets hurt?"

"I'll go to RiverClan, then," Honeyleaf meowed. "Willowblaze knows what she's doing, so she can look after the camp."

Ripplesky opened his mouth to protest, but he decided against it. "Fine."

"Great! I'll go tell Bramblestar." Without saying another word, Honeyleaf slipped out of the den, leaving Willowblaze and Ripplesky alone.

"Why did you freak out when I tried to touch you?" she asked, a flash of hurt crossing her face. "I thought you loved me."

The RiverClan tom stared at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

Willowblaze narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Do you have memory loss or something? Don't you remember what you said to me at the last Gathering? You said that you've always liked me."

Ripplesky's eyes widened. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant as a friend."

The pale brown tabby let out a hiss of frustration. "Of course you did!" she spat, her hackles raising. "I feel so stupid! I really thought..." she trailed off, a few tears rolling down her face. "I thought we were mates," Willowblaze whispered. "I should have known better."

Ripplesky stared at her, unsure what to say. "I should have been more clear. I'm really sorry, Willowblaze."

"It's fine," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. "I'm just a stupid cat, is all."

"You're not stupid," he reassured her, wrapping his tail around her shoulders.

The two cats sat like that for a while, before Willowblaze sniffled, "I'm so sorry, Ripplesky."

"You didn't do anything wrong. It was just a misunderstanding, is all."

Willowblaze pulled away. "I-I have to go collect some herbs. I'll be back later." Before he could offer to go with her, Willowblaze turned and fled from the den, leaving Ripplesky alone.

* * *

 **Hello everyone! I just wanted to say, thank you for all the reviews last chapter! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I had a lot of fun writing it. I was going to write more, but I decided to hold off until the next chapter. I will try to update as soon as I can, but my laptop is still broken and my grandma doesn't like it when I use hers. But I will try my best to get the next chapter up. And yes, Foxkit was a reference to Zootopia. I just couldn't help myself. That movie is so darn good.**

 **As always, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it.**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

A cold wind blew through the forest, causing the bare trees to rattle. The air was filled with rotting corpses and toadstool. At once, Ripplesky knew that he was in the Dark Forest. He hadn't dreamed of this wretched place in some time, so he wasn't looking forward to what lay ahead.

"I haven't seen you in some time," a voice hissed.

Spinning around, Ripplesky spotted Snowdust. "What do you want?" he demanded, lashing his tail in annoyance.

"You know exactly why I'm here!" Snowdust told him, narrowing her eyes in disgust. "You deliberately disobeyed me. First I told you to kill Morningstar, and you refuse. And now you go and confess your crimes to Birchstar. Have you lost your mind?" The white she-cat began to circle around him.

"It was the right thing to do," Ripplesky said, puffing out his chest. As she circled around him, he kept his eyes locked on her. If she was going to attack, he wanted to be prepared.

"Who cares about doing the right thing?" Snowdust spat, her neck fur bristling.

"StarClan does!" he shouted.

Snowdust backed away, before letting out a loud purr of amusement. "It's too late for that. StarClan will never forgive you for what you've done. You murdered a medicine cat, a deputy and a innocent warrior. If you really think they'll let you off the hook for that, then you're dumber than I originally thought you were."

Ripplesky let out an angry hiss. "Why are you here now? Why didn't you come visit me after I told Birchstar the truth?"

"I was testing you," Snowdust meowed, flicking an ear. "I wanted to see if you'd use this as an excuse to kill Birchstar, or be a wimpy little medicine cat and cower in fear. I see you've picked the latter."

The wind began to pick up again as Ripplesky stared at her. _She's right. StarClan will never forgive me for what I've done!_ "You ruined my life," he spat. "Why did you target me of all cats? What did I ever do to you?"

"You didn't do anything. I just wanted to make sure my kin would be with me forever," she said.

Ripplesky stared at her, confused. "We're kin?"

"I am your grandmother, Ripplesky." A sinister look crossed her face as she stared at him, sending a shiver down the medicine cat's spine.

"No, you're not!" this time an unfamiliar voice spoke. Looking up, Ripplesky spotted two cats he had never seen before storm across the clearing in Snowdust's direction. In the lead was a large brown tabby with long, silky fur. Behind him was a smaller black-and-white she-cat.

"Bearclaw... Frostwing! W-What are you doing here?" Snowdust exclaimed, her eyes widened with horror.

"Don't play dumb. You know _exactly_ why we're here," Frostwing snarled, unsheathing her claws.

Snowdust began to back away, a strong fear scent coming off her in waves. "What's going on?" Ripplesky asked, taking a step back himself.

Bearclaw and Frostwing paid no attention to Ripplesky. Their eyes were locked on Snowdust, who had been cornered against a tree. "We've been looking for you for years. Now it's finally time for us to get our pay back." Bearclaw raised up a paw, ready to strike the white she-cat.

"Please don't do this. I'm really sorry," Snowdust pleaded.

"Sorry isn't going to work. Do you realize how much pain you caused me? You murdered my mate, and then stole our son!" Bearclaw spat.

Slowly, Snowdust sat up. Her eyes were filled with fury as she stared at him. "And do you realize how much pain _you_ caused me? I loved you so much, and you left me for my own sister! Do you really think I wanted our kits to die? I wanted to be a mother more than anything, and Waveheart gave me that. I didn't mean to kill you, Frostwing. It was an accident."

For a second, Ripplesky thought the two newcomers would let her go. To his surprise, they stood their ground, eyes narrowed and claws unsheathed. "That's not going to work on me," Bearclaw hissed, before lashing out a paw. His claws struck Snowdust's throat, ripping it. The white she-cat let out a cry of pain, before crumpling over on the ground.

"Is she going to die?" Ripplesky asked, eyes wide. _Can dead cats even die a second time?_

Bearclaw shrugged. "I doubt it. I just gave her a warning scratch. I'm not low enough to sink down to her petty level." Turning to face Frostwing he said, "Let's go."

"Wait!" Ripplesky called out. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter. What's done is done, and we mean nothing to you." Without saying another word, the two padded into the shriveled undergrowth, leaving Ripplesky alone with Snowdust.

* * *

"Wake up!"

Ripplesky jolted awake, his chest heaving. Willowblaze stood over him, her eyes wide with concern. "You looked like you were having a nightmare."

"You can say that," he grunted, sitting up.

Once he had caught his breath, Willowblaze quietly asked, "What was it about? I understand if you don't want to talk about it..."

"I-I don't know how to explain it," Ripplesky meowed, giving his chest fur a couple of licks. How could he ever explain that he was visited by the Dark Forest, rather than StarClan? _She would think I have bees in my brain._

"Oh. Those kind of nightmares are the worst, because you know that you're scared but you don't know why."

The two sat there in silence for a long time, before Willowblaze jumped to her paws. "Do you want to take a walk with me? I know it's still night, but-"

"Sure," he said, cutting her off. Willowblaze didn't seem to mind though, as she sent him a huge smile and darted out of the den. Ripplesky limped after her, slightly excited. He didn't want to admit it, but during the past few days he had spent in ShadowClan's camp, he had grown fond of the pale tabby medicine cat.

"I love nighttime, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a ShadowClan cat. It's just so refreshing." Willowblaze paused for a moment, before continuing on. "There's this one spot where the trees start to thin out, and you can see the moon really good. It's very beautiful."

"I bet," he meowed quietly.

"Are there a lot of trees in RiverClan's territory?" she asked.

"Not really. I mean, our territory isn't as sparse and open as the moorlands, but we don't have nearly the amount of trees that ThunderClan, SkyClan or you ShadowClan cats have." As they walked deeper into the forest, Ripplesky smiled slightly. Willowblaze was right; nighttime was refreshing. "You know, this is really nice. I never realized how peaceful nighttime could be."

"It's lovely, isn't it?" she purred. Suddenly, she darted forward, her eyes gleaming. "The clearing is right on ahead! Let's go before it's too late!" Putting on an extra burst of speed, Willowblaze raced toward towards an open clearing in the forest. Ripplesky followed after her as fast as he could, his tail high in the air.

When she reached the clearing, Willowblaze skidded to a halt. "Isn't it great?" she asked, looking up at the sky. Pausing beside her, he also looked up. Above them where millions and millions of stars. Some shined brightly, while others were a bit dim.

"Lay down," she called out, plopping down on the grass. Ripplesky slowly laid down beside her, before glancing back up at the stars. "Each one is a StarClan warrior, looking down on us," Willowblaze whispered in amazement.

"I don't know. I feel like they're more than that," he told her.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to explain it. I just feel like those stars are something more. I feel like they're something that we don't understand, and that we'll never understand," the silver tom explained.

Willowblaze said nothing more. Instead, she moved closer to him, their fur brushing against each other. They laid together like that for a long time, before falling asleep together. As they slept, a dark presence entered the clearing, causing Ripplesky to jolt awake only moments after falling asleep. "Who's there?" he whispered, scanning the shadowy forest for any signs of life.

Slowly, a faint figure stepped into the moonlight. As it moved closer, the medicine cat recognized it as Snowdust. "Go away!" he spat, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Snowdust ignored his demand, and continued to come closer to him. As she neared, Ripplesky could see blood oozing from the wound in her neck. It was clearly infected. "You must establish a future in ShadowClan if you want to survive. Birchstar is going to exile you, and you cannot live on your own."

He stared at her in confusion. "You're not making any sense. How will I ever become a member of ShadowClan? Bramblestar would never allow it. He's even uncomfortable with me staying as long as I have."

"You know exactly what you have to do," Snowdust told him, growing fainter ever second. In her last moments, the Dark Forest she-cat directed her attention towards Willowblaze, before fading away.

Ripplesky gulped, before staring down at Willowblaze's sleeping form. _Willowblaze would make sure I could find a home in ShadowClan, but how?_ As soon as he said that, he quickly realized what Snowdust had meant. He needed to manipulate her, and he knew exactly how he would have to do it.

Willowblaze began to stir beside him. "What's going on?" she yawned, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"C-Can I talk to you?" he whispered, shuffling his paws in the grass.

"Of course," the ShadowClan she-cat responded, smiling.

"I've been thinking about what you said a few days. A-About loving me, I mean. I've been trying to deny my feelings, but I feel the same way," Ripplesky lied, his throat tightening up. He didn't want to hurt her, but new knew it was the only way he could stay safe. He would never be able to take care of himself as a rogue.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "Do you really mean it?"

"I do," he whispered, not meeting her gaze. _Oh, StarClan. What have I done?_

"I'm so happy," Willowblaze purred, nuzzling him. Pulling back she said, "This will be our little secret. No other cat will ever find out."

* * *

 **Poor Willowblaze. She's being manipulated and she doesn't even realize it. I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. School is almost finished for me, so hopefully I will be able to update more often. That is, if my grandma will allow me to use her computer. I hope you enjoyed this chapter everyone! Thanks for reading.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Ripplesky sat at the back of the den, helping Willowblaze sort through herbs.

"I haven't gone through the tansy in a while, so would you mind looking through it for me? Honeyleaf said tansy lasts a long time, but I just want to make sure we have enough fresh leaves in case something happens," Willowblaze told him, before pushing the stinging nettle she had been working with back to it's original place.

Ripplesky nodded, before pulling the tansy out. He carefully sorted through the pile, making sure none of the leaves were wilted. Hooking up a rotten piece with his claw, he flicked it towards the entrance of the den.

A few seconds later, a dark ginger tom appeared. A worried look was plastered to the tom's face as he shouted, "A snake bit Hollypaw!"

"What?!" Willowblaze exclaimed, jumping to her paws. "How did this happen, Rowancloud?"

"Stormsky and I decided to take the apprentices out hunting. While trying to catch a toad, she stepped on a snake that was hidden in the undergrowth. You've got to help her, before it's too late!" Rowancloud meowed.

Willowblaze let out a frantic cry, before sorting through her herbs. "I don't know what to do. Honeyleaf has never taught me how to treat a snakebite!" Turning toward Ripplesky she asked, "Do you know?"

Ripplesky thought for a moment. "No, I don't. Just grab whatever herbs you can, and we'll see if they work."

Rowancloud stared at him in alarm. "What if they don't work? She'll die!"

"Let's hope not," the silver tom growled under his breath, before grabbing an assortment of different herbs. After wrapping them up in a leaf bundle, Ripplesky and Willowblaze followed Rowancloud out into the forest. Ripplesky's heart pounded with fear. _What if we're too late? What if she's already dead?_

Rowancloud finally skidded to a halt. "She's over there," he panted, flicking his tail towards a small rock. As quickly as they could, the two medicine cats hurried over to where Hollypaw was. The gray-and-white she-cat was sprawled out on her side, panting hard. Blood glistened from two fang marks in the apprentice's back leg.

"It's going to be okay," Willowblaze whispered as she stroked Hollypaw's pelt.

"It burns so much," Hollypaw gasped, squeezing her eyes shut.

Ripplesky pulled out some stinging nettle and began to chew it into a pulp. He then applied it to her wound, but it didn't seem to be doing any good. "It's not working!" he panicked, before scraping the pulp off Hollypaw's leg.

"No, leave it on! It might take a while to set in," Willowblaze argued.

"It's not working, Willowblaze. If we leave it on, it could block the other herbs," he snapped. Suddenly, an unfamiliar plant with white flowers caught his attention. He had never seen such a plant before. _It can't hurt to try._ Ripplesky padded towards it, before biting a piece of it off.

"Stop messing around and save my sister!" a dark gray apprentice who was crouched beside Stormsky growled.

Stormsky turned to glare at her apprentice. "Toadpaw, that's enough. I'm sure they know what they're doing." Despite saying that, Ripplesky could tell the black-and-white she-cat didn't sound so confident.

"Ripplesky, what are you doing?" Willowblaze whispered. "We don't know what that plant is. It could be poisonous."

Ripplesky ignored her and started chewing the plant up into a pulp. He carefully applied it to Hollypaw's leg. The she-cat thrashed under him, below slowly starting to calm. Her breath slowed, and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Is she dead?" Toadpaw asked, his eyes wide.

"No," Rowancloud breathed, slowly inching towards his apprentice. "Hollypaw, how do you feel?"

"My leg still hurts, but I think I'll be okay," she whispered, her voice quivering with fear. Toadpaw rushed to her side and slowly nudged her to her paws.

Willowblaze turned to Ripplesky. "How did you know that plant would help her?"

"I didn't," he confessed. "I was just drawn to it, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out. Now we know a cure for snakebites." Ripplesky gathered up the bundle of herbs he had brought, and started in the direction of ShadowClan's camp. Willowblaze, Rowancloud, Stormsky and the two apprentices trailed after him.

"Did StarClan tell you that plant would heal Hollypaw?" Willowblaze asked in a quiet tone. He shook his head, causing Willowblaze to frown. "Oh. I guess you're just really smart, then."

Before he could say anything else, the group spotted Honeyleaf heading towards camp. "Honeyleaf!" Stormsky yowled, racing forward. "What are you doing here?"

Honeyleaf walked up, panting slightly. "I came to fetch Ripplesky. Birchstar says it's time for him to return home."

"His wounds aren't healed yet!" Willowblaze protested, her eyes tearing up slightly. "Can't Birchstar wait a few more days?"

"I'm sorry, but Birchstar wants him to return home quickly. I don't think he feels comfortable with me looking after the Clan," Honeyleaf meowed, before taking the herbs from Ripplesky. "I hope you feel better. Just remember, if you ever need us, feel free to drop by." This caused Toadpaw to let out a faint snort, before the group turned away and started heading towards their camp.

Letting out a sigh, Ripplesky started to pad towards the Thunderpath. A few moments later, Willowblaze stepped out in front of him. "I want to walk with you to the Thunderpath," she told him.

Ripplesky just flicked his tail, before continuing on his way. He wasn't looking forward to returning home at all. What if Birchstar exiled him right away? What would his parents and sister think? _They would hate me. Everyone would hate me._

"We're here." Willowblaze's voice shook him from his thoughts.

"Thanks for everything," he muttered, not meeting her gaze. The silver tom still felt guilty for lying to her. He didn't love her at all. He wasn't sure if he loved _anyone_ , for that matter, not even his family.

Willowblaze smiled slightly. "You're welcome. I'll see you at the next Gathering, okay?"

"Okay," he whispered, not even sure if he would be allowed to attend the Gathering. Taking a deep breath, Ripplesky turned and raced across the dark path.

* * *

When he arrived at camp, the sun was sinking in the sky. As Ripplesky padded into camp, he could feel everyone looking at him.

"Ripplesky, you're back!" Minnowfur squeaked, before racing up to him. Her blue eyes gleamed with happiness as she covered him in licks. Waveheart and Splashflower raced up after her, their tails high in the air.

"I was so worried about you," Splashflower said. "When Honeyleaf said you had been attacked by a dog..."

"He's safe now, and that's all that matters," Waveheart interrupted. "Welcome, home. How are you feeling?"

Ripplesky purred, "I'm still a little sore, but my wounds have healed nicely."

Minnowfur began to guide him towards the fresh-kill pile. "There's so much to tell you," she babbled. "Reedpaw and Frogpaw became warriors-"

"Already? Aren't they a little young?" Ripplesky asked in surprise. It felt as if the two had just been born yesterday, and now they were already warriors?

His sister shot him a look of annoyance. "Does their age matter? They proved themselves worthy a few days ago, when one of our patrols was attacked by a dog. It was probably the same dog that attacked you. Anyways, they are now Reedheart and Frogtail."

"Don't forget to tell him about Rainfall and Briarpelt," Waveheart added.

"Oh, yeah!" Minnowfur exclaimed. "Rainfall is expecting kits, and Briarpelt has retired to the elder's den."

Ripplesky let out a sigh. "It's only been a week or so, and so much has happened without me." Before they could say anything more, he turned and padded towards his den. "I've had a long day, so I think I'm going to take a quick nap."

"No, you're not!" an angry voice growled. Looking up, the medicine cat saw Birchstar standing in his path. The leader's eyes were narrowed with fury. "I want to speak to you in my den at once." Ripplesky gulped, before turning and heading over to the leader's den. Birchstar charged after him, his tail lashing back and forth.

Once inside, Birchstar cornered Ripplesky against the back wall. "Are you out of your mind?" he roared. "Leaving a ShadowClan medicine cat in charge of our camp? You would have never been attacked by that dog if you had just stayed in camp. You put everyone in danger, and now Bramblestar probably knows all our secrets."

Ripplesky flattened his ears to his head. "No, _you're_ the one out of your mind. Do you think I was attacked by a dog on purpose? It wasn't my fault I was almost mauled to death and that a ShadowClan patrol happened to find me. You ought to be grateful that your only medicine cat survived. What would RiverClan do without me?"

Birchstar's neck fur bristled. "I'm starting to wish you had died in that fire. Nightsky would still be alive if it hadn't been for you. If you think you've saved this Clan, you're wrong. And if you think I'm the bad guy, you're wrong. I've been merciful on you, Ripplesky. I could have executed you the second I found out that you murdered Nightsky, but I didn't. If anyone should be grateful, it's you!" Birchstar screeched.

A sudden rage bubbled up inside of Ripplesky. Slowly, the medicine cat stood up and unsheathed his claws. "I'm not going to put up with you blackmailing me," he spat.

Birchstar let out a snort. "Are you trying to intimidate me? That will never work. I'm stronger than you, and I've got a whole army of warriors behind me that would tear you apart if you even tried to lay a paw on me."

Ripplesky stepped back, unsure what to do. He would never get away with killing Birchstar. Everyone would know he had done it, and he would be crowfood.

"That's right, you little coward," Birchstar taunted. "Now get out of my den."

The medicine cat darted past Birchstar, his stomach churning nervously. He didn't know what to do now. He wasn't tired anymore, and he didn't feel like sorting through his herbs. He quickly curled up in his nest, and began to think about what had just happened. _I've really messed up,_ Ripplesky thought sadly.

A few hours later, Shellnose appeared at the entrance to his den. "Birchstar wants you," he whispered, before backing out of the den.

Slowly, Ripplesky rose to his paws and marched out into the clearing. Birchstar stood at the top of his den, his chest puffed out. All around him, warriors of RiverClan crouched in the shadows, their eyes gleaming in the dark. Whispers echoed around the camp.

"What's going on?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Is Ripplesky in trouble?"

"Silence!" Birchstar yowled, lifting his head to the sky. Once everything was quiet, he beckoned for Ripplesky to come forward. The silver tom gulped, before slowly inching towards his leader. _This is the end. I'm going to be exiled for sure._

"Cats of RiverClan, you may think you know Ripplesky, but the truth is he is not as innocent as he seems. He is a murderer!" When cries of protest rang out among the gathered cats, Birchstar continued, "After Ember was executed, Ripplesky confessed that he had killed Nightsky."

"You're lying!" Minnowfur spat, her eyes narrowed with anger. "My brother would never hurt anyone."

"But he did!" Birchstar argued. "And just now in my den, he tried to kill me as well! For that reason, I sentence you to exile. If anyone from RiverClan catches you on our territory, we have the right to kill you."

Minnowfur padded over to her brother's side, before looking back at the leader. "You're going to have to exile me, too."

"You can't do that, Minnowfur." Frogtail joined her, his eyes filled with grief. "What about us?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow my brother to be exiled." Minnowfur stood her ground, making Ripplesky's heart swell with happiness. He was glad to have a sister as loving as she was.

"Then I'm going too," Frogtail declared, puffing out his chest.

"So am I," Splashflower meowed. "I believe my son is innocent. Even if he did murder Nightsky, a mother's love comes before all else. I will not abandon him in the forest to die. I will be by his side as long as I can, and if that means exile so be it!" She turned towards Waveheart, who nodded in agreement.

Birchstar watched the cats in disgust. "Fine! I don't care if you leave. You're nothing but a bunch of traitors anyways." He scanned the clearing before adding, "Are there any more traitors?" The clearing was silent for a few moments, before Reedheart, Brambletail, and Shellnose padded over.

Shellnose looked down at his paws for a few moments before announcing, "I love RiverClan, but Brambletail and I just can't let our kits go alone. I'm sorry, but I hope you understand."

When no other cat padded over to join Ripplesky, Birchstar let out a snort. "Get out of my camp at once," he snarled. "And just know that if we catch any one of you flea-pelts on our territory that you're crowfood!"

Ripplesky glared up at Birchstar. "We can take you on any day!" Before Birchstar could let out a retort, Waveheart nudged Ripplesky in the direction of the camp entrance.

Once they were far enough away from camp, Reedheart stopped. "Now what do we do?" she asked, flattening her ears to her head.

"We need to find shelter," Shellnose told her, sniffing the air for any signs of danger.

"What about that abandoned Twoleg nest we stayed in during the fire?" Minnowfur suggested.

Ripplesky frowned. "I'm not sure that would work. It's too close to camp, so Birchstar could easily track us down and ambush us."

"I doubt Birchstar would come hunt us down this late at night," Minnowfur argued. "Besides, do you really think our Clanmates would attack us?"

"Who knows," Frogtail muttered darkly.

"It won't hurt to stay one night there," Shellnose meowed, walking in the direction of the abandoned Twoleg nest. The rest of the group followed after him, too tired and scared to argue anymore.

When they arrived at the Twoleg den, the moon was starting to sink in the sky. "I'm exhausted," Splashflower yawned as she slipped through a gap in the wall. She then padded over to a damp bundle of hay and flopped down. Waveheart and Minnowfur followed her, their eyes drooping from exhaustion.

"Are you going to come sleep with us?" Minnowfur called out to her brother.

Ripplesky shook his head. "I'm going to sleep over here by myself," he told her, before padding over to the far end of the den. As he curled up in the hay, he felt his heart ache with pain. His family members and friends were now exiled because of him. _They chose to leave,_ he reminded himself. _They could have stayed if they wanted to._ As he lay there thinking, Ripplesky soon drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter took so long to publish. My internet has not been working lately. I really enjoyed this chapter, so I am hoping you will like it as well. I have the rest of the story planned out, but I am not sure how many chapters will be left. If I had to guess, it would be anywhere between 5-10. It just depends on how much plot I am able to squeeze into each chapter.**

 **As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I look forward to your feedback each time I update!**


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The next morning, the warm scent of fresh-kill woke Ripplesky. The silver tom sat up in his makeshift nest and stretched, before gazing around the den. Every cat except for Frogtail and Splashflower was awake. "Did you go hunting already?" Ripplesky asked, padding towards the center of the den.

"Yes," Shellnose reported, tossing a mouse in his direction. "We've caught plenty for every cat, so help yourself."

Licking his lips, Ripplesky bit into the mouse. The juicy scent of his prey bathed his tongue, and filled his starving stomach. As the cats ate, they began to discuss their plans for that day.

"How far do you think we'll need to go?" Minnowfur questioned.

Ripplesky shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't want to stray too far, because otherwise RiverClan will think we're soft."

Waveheart gave his son a confused look. "But Birchstar-"

"I _know_ what Birchstar said," Ripplesky interrupted, narrowing his eyes, "but I'm not scared of RiverClan, and neither should you be. They've lost half of their warriors, so they're no threat to us. In fact, I say we make our camp right here. We'll call ourselves RippleClan, and I will be leader."

Everyone stared at him, not sure what to say. Finally Reedheart said, "I'm not sure you're capable of being leader. You don't have any experience. I think Shellnose should be leader."

The silver tom turned towards her, his neck fur bristling. "I didn't ask you what you wanted. This is my group, and what I say goes. If you don't like it, leave. I don't want you here anyways."

Frogtail, who had just woken up, let out an angry hiss. "Don't talk to my sister like that!"

Before Ripplesky could reply, Minnowfur quickly walked between the two toms. "Ripplesky doesn't mean it. He's just stressed out." She then turned to her brother and gave him a pleading look. Ripplesky let out a snort, and backed away.

Frogtail rolled his eyes, before grabbing a vole and padding back to his nest. Once the tension had died down, Shellnose, Brambletail and Waveheart decided to go on another hunt, leaving the younger cats alone.

"What's wrong?" Minnowfur asked, pressing against her brother.

"Nothing."

Minnowfur flattened her ears to her head. "Don't tell me that. You've never acted like that before. Is something bothering you?"

Ripplesky let out a frustrated sigh. "There's nothing wrong. I just don't like other cats challenging me."

"They don't mean anything by it. They're just looking out for the well being of the group." Minnowfur said.

He stood up angrily, before walking away from his sister. "If they were so concerned about their own safety, they shouldn't have come. They should have stayed put in RiverClan where they belong."

Minnowfur narrowed her eyes at him. "You should be glad we came along with you! Without us, you'd be left alone out in the wild. We are your friends, Ripplesky. Stop trying to push us away."

Ripplesky was silent. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, but he knew it was pointless as his words would fall on deaf ears. _She'll continue to argue with me,_ he thought letting out a sigh. Curling up in the corner of the den, he placed his fluffy tail over his nose. "I'm going back to sleep," he snapped before closing his eyes.

A few hours later, the sound of chatter woke the silver tom. Blinking his eyes open, he spotted the entire group huddled in the center of the den. _What's going on?_ Ripplesky wondered, before padding towards them. "What are you talking about?" he demanded, turning his attention towards Shellnose and Waveheart.

"We were just talking about the future of the group," Waveheart meowed slowly, his green eyes filled with concern.

"The group is fine," Ripplesky insisted. As he stood there, he could feel his neck fur bristle slightly. _Oh great, here we go again!_

"For now," Waveheart pointed out. "If we're going to live out here, we need to make some precautions to make sure everything runs smoothly. I know you want to be leader, but-"

"But nothing! I am leader, and that's final!" Ripplesky interrupted. "Why can't any of you accept I'd make a good leader?"

Brambletail stepped forward. "It's not that we don't trust you to be our leader. We just think an older cat with more experience would be better, at least for now. Besides, you're the only cat here with knowledge of herbs. We need you to be our medicine cat."

"I can be a medicine cat and a leader," Ripplesky argued. "Why can't you all just let me be in charge of my own group?"

"You might be the reason we're out here, but that doesn't mean you get to make all the decisions on your own," Shellnose meowed. "If we are going to be a Clan, we need to work together to decide things. Otherwise you will be nothing more than a dictator."

Before Ripplesky could say anything, Splashflower came to his defense. "Have you all forgotten that by leaving RiverClan, we chose to follow Ripplesky's lead? Whether you like to admit it or not, he is our leader."

Shellnose let out an annoyed snort. "You coddle him too much, Splashflower. Have you forgotten he's a possible murderer?"

Splashflower's fur bristled angrily. "Don't you dare call him a murderer ever again! He is innocent."

"Do you really believe that?" Shellnose demanded, turning his attention back to Ripplesky, "because I don't! I believe he's guilty."

"If you think he's guilty, why did you even leave RiverClan in the first place?" the silver queen snarled, her eyes full of disgust.

"Brambletail and I left RiverClan for our kits. We would never allow Frogtail and Reedheart to run off with this mange-pelt," Shellnose replied angrily.

"Maybe we should just go home?" Reedheart spoke up, her eyes wide with fear.

"It's too late now," Ripplesky hissed. "You've made your choice, so you're stuck here. Do you really think Birchstar will allow you to come crawling back to him? He was right when he said you're nothing but a bunch of traitors. You have no loyalty for anyone except yourself. You should have thought things through before you decided to give up your cozy lifestyle to live with a _murderer._ " He spat the last word out as if it were poison.

"We'll see about that at the next Gathering." Shellnose glared at Ripplesky and Splashflower, before stalking outside. Brambletail and Reedheart followed him. Frogtail watched his family go, before padding over to the nest he shared with Minnowfur.

"I'm so sorry," Splashflower crooned, wrapping her tail over his shoulders. "You don't deserve to go through any of this." When he didn't reply, she let out a sigh and padded away, leaving Ripplesky alone.

* * *

The full moon glowed in the sky as Ripplesky and his band of warriors followed him towards Fourtrees. _I can't wait to see the look on Birchstar's face_ , Ripplesky thought smirking.

Suddenly, the group came to a halt at the top of the rise that lead down into the clearing. Below, Ripplesky could see Swiftstar was in the middle of making an announcement for WindClan.

"-but our warriors successfully chased the fox out. Also have some sad news to report this moon. One of our elders, Owlflight, has died. He was a member of WindClan for many seasons, but he walks with StarClan now. Since his death, Badgerstrike, Gorseclaw and Waspfall have decided to retire. It was a tough choice for them to make, but they deserve to have peace after serving WindClan for so long." Swiftstar dipped his head, allowing Birchstar to step forward.

Just as the RiverClan leader opened his mouth to speak, Ripplesky sprang forward. "Wait!" he yowled, pushing his way through the crowd. The rest of his cats slowly followed after him, their eyes wide with fear.

"What are you doing here?" Birchstar hissed, his hackles raising.

"Isn't that your medicine cat?" Flystar questioned in a confused tone.

"He _was_ our medicine cat, until I found out he's nothing but a murderer!" Birchstar spat, making the crowd gasp.

Ripplesky leaped up onto the already crowded Great Rock. "I'm here to announce there is now a sixth Clan in the forest: RippleClan!"

Cries of protest rang out from the cats below. "You can't do that! There are only supposed to be five Clans in the forest."

"Who does he think he is?"

"The nerve of him!"

"Why isn't StarClan sending a cloud to cover the moon? Don't they disapprove?"

Ignoring their cries, Ripplesky continued. "The warrior code says nothing about the number of Clans allowed in the forest. Besides, if StarClan really disapproved, they would have stopped this Gathering by now."

"Since when do you care about the warrior code, you murderer?" Birchstar growled.

"I've always cared about the warrior code," Ripplesky replied, flicking his tail in annoyance.

The RiverClan leader rolled his eyes. "You don't care about any code whatsoever. All you care about is yourself!"

"That's all anyone cares about these days," Bramblestar spoke up, his voice shaking. As Ripplesky looked him over, he noticed how frail the ShadowClan leader was starting to look. "No one has any sense of loyalty anymore. Every cat only does what they want, not what will be best for the Clan in the long run. Not even our medicine cats have the slightest bit of decency. They're murderers, pregnant-"

"Pregnant?" Redstar interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"Bramblestar, this doesn't concern the other Clans," Honeyleaf spoke up, her voice filled with sadness. Beside her, Willowblaze crouched low, her eyes shut.

Bramblestar ignored her. "Willowblaze doesn't deserve to be protected after what she's done. She broke the most sacred law, so she is to be punished and humiliated. Once this Gathering is over, she will not be welcomed back into ShadowClan."

Ripplesky stood there, completely frozen. _This is all my fault,_ he thought, his heart racing. "She hasn't done a single thing wrong. It's my fault. Please don't exile her."

Birchstar let out a snort of amusement. "You just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you?"

"Be quiet!" Ripplesky hissed, unsheathing his claws. He wanted to rake his claws across Birchstar's smug face, but he had to refrain himself. Taking a couple deep breaths, Ripplesky yowled, "Think what you want, but Willowblaze is a good cat. It's my fault she's pregnant. Please don't judge her."

Suddenly, the moonlight disappeared, leaving the clearing dark. Looking up, Ripplesky spotted a gigantic storm cloud covering the moon.

"StarClan has spoken. This Gathering is over," Flystar muttered, leaping down from the Great Rock.

Ripplesky let out a sigh, before jumping down after him. He felt incredibly guilty for getting Willowblaze in trouble. _I need to find her,_ he thought, pushing his way through the crowd. Finally, he spotted her and Honeyleaf standing beside a holly bush.

"Willowblaze, I'm so sorry..." he whispered, not sure what to say.

"It's okay," Willowblaze whispered, unable to meet his gaze.

The three cats stood there for a few moments, before Honeyleaf asked, "Are you going to live with Ripplesky?"

"Can I?" Willowblaze finally looked up at her mate, her eyes full of tears. "I understand if you don't want me to live with you, but I have no where else to go."

"Of course you can live with me. After all the trouble I've caused you, I could never turn you away. Y-You're carrying my kits, after all." Ripplesky's throat tightened up, and his stomach churned nervously. _Things weren't supposed to happen like this! Now I'm going to be a father to kits I don't even want._

She let out a sigh of relief, before standing to her paws. "Thank you so much," she whispered, touching her nose to his. After saying a quick goodbye to Honeyleaf, Willowblaze and Ripplesky began to climb the slope back towards RiverClan's territory.

At the top, the members of RippleClan were seated by a clump of ferns. Birchstar sat close by, his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" Ripplesky asked, mocking the tone the RiverClan leader had used earlier.

Birchstar ignored Ripplesky as he meowed, "I've made a big mistake by allowing you all to leave with Ripplesky. RiverClan isn't the same without you all. If you come home with me, we can just pretend none of this ever happened."

Shellnose, Brambletail, and Reedheart stood up and padded over towards Birchstar. The cats all waited for Frogtail to stand up and join them, but the brown tabby sat still.

"Of course you decide to leave. I knew you would eventually turn your backs on me," Ripplesky hissed.

"Come on, Frogtail," Brambletail called out softly, ignoring Ripplesky's comment.

"I can't," Frogtail whispered, letting out a sigh. "I've made my choice to join RippleClan, and I'm going to stick with it. I'm not going to flip flop back and forth with my loyalty," the brown tabby tom replied, his head low. "I'll always miss you, but I've been thinking about what everyone has been saying these past few days, and they're right. Cats aren't being loyal to their Clans. They're being loyal to themselves. I don't want to be that kind of cat, so I'm going to live with my decision"

"Please, come with us, Frogtail. No one will think you're being disloyal if you decide to come home," Reedheart begged.

"No." Frogtail stood his ground.

"Are you sure? Because-" Birchstar began.

"I'm sure," Frogtail snapped, flicking his tail back and forth in annoyance.

Shellnose opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. He let out a sigh, before following Birchstar, Brambletail and Reedheart back to camp. As Frogtail watched him go, his eyes began to tear up.

"Thank you," Ripplesky meowed. "I would have never expected that from you. I really thought you would leave again. Now let's go home."

* * *

 **I'm sorry I haven't updated in almost a month. My internet went out for a few weeks, so I had no way of updating. I've also been going through a really hard time, which has left me depressed and to be honest, uncertain about this story. I used to be so proud of it, but now I feel as though it isn't that great. I still appreciate all the support you guys have been giving me, and all my work in the past. I will try to update as soon as possible, but with my internet being so unpredictable it's hard to tell.**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

The blazing sun scorched Ripplesky's back as he pushed his way through the tall grass. Pausing, the silver tom dropped his vole and looked around for a shady place to rest. It was too hot to be outside in such extreme weather, but he _had_ to feed his family. Due to the heat and lack of rain, prey was hard to come by.

Letting out a sigh, Ripplesky decided to just go ahead and return back to camp. Picking up his vole, he headed in the direction of the abandoned Twoleg nest where RippleClan made it's camp. As he squeezed through one of the gaps in the walls, he was immediately surrounded by three little kits - his kits.

It had been five moons since Willowblaze had come to live with Ripplesky, and three since she had given birth. The labor had been difficult at first, but after the first kit was born the rest came out easily. In the end, there were two toms and two she-kits.

"Is that for us?" the largest kit of the bunch, Lionkit asked. He was an exact copy of Willowblaze, only with slightly longer fur.

"Yes," Ripplesky purred, setting the vole down in front of the kits. They let out excited squeals, before digging into the prey. As he watched them, he started to notice one of the kits was missing. "Where is Icekit?"

Poppykit looked up, licking blood from her lips. "I think he's with mother."

Ripplesky quickly padded over to Willowblaze's nest, where sure enough, Icekit was curled beside his mother's sleeping form. "Icekit, what are you doing over here? Aren't you hungry?"

Icekit quickly shook his head. "I already ate," he whispered, not meeting his father's gaze.

Ripplesky let out a frustrated sigh. Icekit was the shyest of the bunch, and the most difficult.

"You can't survive on milk alone," Ripplesky growled. "What will you do when Willowblaze's milk dries up?" The queen was already beginning to lose her milk, so it was important for Icekit to get a taste for prey. _I can't let him die,_ he thought, clenching his teeth. Over these past few months, Ripplesky had grown extremely attached to his kits, more so than he expected to.

At the sound of his voice, Willowblaze woke up. As soon as she saw Ripplesky, she let out a happy purr. "You're back! How was the hunt?"

"Not good," he confessed, glancing back down at Icekit. "I only managed to catch one vole. I gave it to the kits, but Icekit doesn't want any."

Willowblaze frowned, before nudging Icekit up. The fluffy silver-gray tom let out a cry of protest, before burrowing back into her silky belly fur. "I don't want prey! I want milk!"

"You can't eat just milk," Willowblaze whispered, giving him a lick on the ear. "One day-"

"Your milk will dry up. I know that already..." Icekit interrupted, looking sad.

"Why are you so afraid to eat fresh-kill?" Ripplesky wondered.

After a few moments, Icekit sat up and sniffled. "I'm not afraid. I just don't like it."

"Stop being so ridiculous. You've never even tried it!" Ripplesky exclaimed, his neck fur bristling. _Why does he have to be so stubborn?_

Willowblaze shot him an angry glare. "Icekit, why don't you go play with your brother and sisters for a few minutes while I talk to your father?"

Icekit looked down at his paws, before reluctantly scurrying towards the other kits. As soon as he was out of earshot, Willowblaze snapped, "You have to be gentle with him. You know how sensitive he is!"

"We can't coddle him forever-"

"I'm not asking you to coddle him. I'm just asking you to be nicer to him. I've seen how you treat him compared to the other kits, and I don't like it one bit," Willowblaze meowed.

"What are you talking about? I don't treat him any different from the rest of our kits." Ripplesky stared at her in confusion. Did he really treat Icekit differently? If he had, he didn't mean to. _She's just exaggerating,_ he finally decided. _I treat the kits just fine!_

Willowblaze let out a snort. "Just... leave me alone," she finally said, turning away from him.

Without saying another word to her, Ripplesky padded back out of camp. He didn't feel like arguing with Willowblaze, which was something they did nearly every day. He had no idea why she was always so angry with him, but she was always nagging him about something.

 _You didn't bring back enough prey! Our kits will starve because of you._

 _You need to collect more wet moss, or the kits will become dehydrated._

 _You need to stop being so lazy and collect fresh bedding for us._

Once he was far enough away from camp, Ripplesky plopped down underneath a dying oak. Its green leaves had shriveled up and were beginning to turn brown due to lack of water. Suddenly, one of the leaves fell from the tree and landed on Ripplesky's head. He quickly shook it off, before glancing down at it. There was something about the leaf that made him feel uncomfortable, but he wasn't sure what. _It's just a leaf,_ he thought. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself of that, he knew this leaf _had_ to represent something. _What if it's an omen from StarClan?_ As Ripplesky studied it, he desperately wished that Nightsky had taught him how to interpret omens. Since he had been rejected by his starry ancestors, she had felt teaching him omens would be a waste of time.

 _"They'll never send you any, so there's no need to learn. We'd just be wasting our time,"_ she had told him.

As Ripplesky sat there, a few more leaves fluttered down to the ground. As he watched them, he began to reflect on his life. _I really screwed up_ , he thought. _I could have worked things out with Nightsky, but instead I listened to Snowdust and now look at me! I'm a murderer who just ruins everyone's lives._

"Dad?" a voice squeaked, shaking him from his thoughts.

Looking up, Ripplesky saw Poppykit and Blossomkit standing there. "What are you doing out here? You know you aren't supposed to leave camp!" he scolded, jumping to his paws.

"Don't worry, I'm with them," Frogtail meowed as he stepped out from the tall grass. "They were worried about you, so they wanted to come check on you."

Ripplesky narrowed his eyes at his daughters. "You don't need to be worried about me. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Lighten up," Frogtail said. "They wanted to check on you because they love you. Isn't that a good thing?"

"I don't care. It's too dangerous out here, even with you watching them. What if a dog suddenly jumps out and snatches one of them up? Or what if a RiverClan patrol kidnaps them? I clearly stated I don't want them leaving until they are six moons old. Until then, they can remain in camp and that is final!" Ripplesky hissed, marching over to Blossomkit. He quickly snatched her up by the scruff, before heading in the direction of camp.

Frogtail hesitated for a few moments, before doing the same with Poppykit.

As he walked, Blossomkit dragged along the ground. She was far too big to be carried, but Ripplesky didn't care. _Willowblaze is going to rip my fur off when she sees the kits have left!_

Sure enough, as soon as he arrived in camp, Willowblaze ran up to him, her eyes filled with anger. "You know they aren't supposed to be out of camp!"

"I'm not in the mood for this conversation," Ripplesky muttered as he sat Blossomkit down.

"You're never in the mood for anything, are you?" she retorted. "If that's the case, then I might as well take the kits and go back to ShadowClan. At least there they'd be properly cared for."

"ShadowClan will never take you back and you know it!" Ripplesky screeched. "Now leave me alone!"

"I hate you," Willowblaze suddenly snapped. "You ruined my life. If it hadn't of been for you, I would still be a medicine cat, living happily alongside my family and friends. But you ruined that all..."

Before he could say anything else, Splashflower jumped into the conversation. "That's enough. You two should know better than to argue in front of the kits!" she scolded, before leading Blossomkit and Poppykit over towards their nests. Out of the corner of his eye, Ripplesky could see Lionkit and Icekit were already huddled there, their eyes wide with fear.

"You hurt their feelings," Ripplesky said, narrowing his eyes at Willowblaze. "They think you don't love them."

"Stop trying to make me feel bad. I never did anything to hurt them and you know it."

"Well, then maybe you should be quiet and stop nagging me about every little thing!" Ripplesky hissed, before giving her a rough cuff around the ears. She immediately shrank back, her eyes wide. Without saying another word, she turned and padded away, leaving Ripplesky alone.

"What was that?" Frogtail exclaimed.

"I had to teach her a lesson," Ripplesky told him.

"You shouldn't hit her," Frogtail meowed. "It isn't right. Besides, she's just stressed out with this drought going on and everything."

"Did I ask you for your opinion?" Ripplesky snarled.

"No..."

"That's what I thought. Now go!" he hissed.

Frogtail flattened his ears to his head, before padding over to Minnowfur. As he watched him go, Ripplesky felt a surge of anger go through him. Why was every cat trying to ruin his day? _I work so hard every day to keep us safe, and I get treated terribly in return. It's a shame. One day they will be sorry._

Little did he know, it would be him that would be sorry.

* * *

 **I just want to say thank you for almost 200 reviews! This is the most I have ever gotten, and it means a lot to me. I love to read your feedback on this story, so I am hoping you enjoyed this chapter. I am not completely certain, but I believe the next chapter is going to be the very last one. I will try to have it out as soon as I can, but until then thank you so much! Also, here are the descriptions for the kits.**

 **Lionkit - long haired pale brown tom with amber eyes (first born)**

 **Icekit - long haired silver-gray tom with blue eyes (last born)**

 **Poppykit - long haired dark brown she-cat with green eyes (second born)**

 **Blossomkit - brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. (third born)**


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

The sun began to sink in the sky, casting orange and red shadows across the landscape. Ripplesky paused to observe the scene, before climbing up the nearest tree. He felt guilty about what he had done earlier. No matter how angry he felt with Willowblaze, it wasn't right for him to hit her. After all, he was the reason she had been exiled from ShadowClan.

A few moments later, the sound of scratching alerted the silver tom. Looking down, he spotted the very cat he had been thinking about. "I'm sorry," he began, his throat closing up. "It wasn't right of me to hit you."

Willowblaze flattened her ears to her head, before looking down at her paws. "I forgive you," she whispered.

The two sat in silence for a long period of time, before Willowblaze suddenly meowed, "The sunset is beautiful. Back in ShadowClan, I often missed out on sunrise and sunset because the pines blocked the view. But over here in RiverClan territory, it's much more open. You can actually look up and see the clouds and the stars. It's great."

"I never really paid attention," Ripplesky confessed, his throat tightening up. "I always focused on myself, and the things going on around me. Looking back on my life, I feel like I've missed out on so much. I feel like I've just wasted everything, and now it's too late."

"It's never too late to ask for forgiveness," Willowblaze said.

"It is for me," he growled, tears welling up in his eyes. "StarClan will never forgive me for what I've done. I've made my nest, and now I have to lie in it."

"That isn't true!" Willowblaze protested, leaping to her paws. "If you just talk to them, I'm sure they will understand. After all, you aren't a bad cat. You've just made some mistakes is all."

Ripplesky turned away from her. _How can she be so blind?_ "How could you say that, after everything I put you through? I ruined your life, you even said so yourself. All I do is ruin lives and you know it. I'm not a good cat, and I never will be."

Willowblaze just stood there, unable to come up with a response.

"Speechless, I see. Just as I expected." Ripplesky let out a deep sigh, before climbing his way down the tree. Once he reached the ground, he began to pad into the tall grass, heading for the direction of Fourtrees.

"Where are you going?" Willowblaze called out.

"I'm going out for a hunt. I promise I'll be back later." Pausing for a few seconds, he looked back to see Willowblaze's silhouette in the dying sun. Just then, a rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.

* * *

By the time Ripplesky reached Fourtrees, the sky was completely dark. The sound of crickets filled the air, along with the sound of rustling branches. _Would they really forgive me?_ he wondered. Slowly, he looked up at the sky. For the most part, it was covered by the large oak branches, but between the little gaps in the leaves he could see the white stars as they glittered in the sky.

Ripplesky then looked in the direction of Highstones. _I have to at least try,_ he decided, before racing out onto the open moorlands. Immediately, the scent of WindClan bathed his tongue, but he ignored it. _They can't stop me from speaking to my ancestors._

To his luck, the silver tom didn't encounter any patrols. Pausing beside the Thunderpath, Ripplesky gasped for breath. He had never run for so long without stopping to breath, and now his lungs were burning. As he sat there, he watched the monsters roar past him. The way they whizzed past him reminded him of how fast his life had gone by.

It felt as if just yesterday he had been an innocent kit, growing up in the nursery with Minnowfur and Splashflower.

It felt as if just yesterday he had been trapped in the fire, scared and frightened for his life.

It felt as if just yesterday Snowdust had tricked him into the life of murder and deception he now lived.

 _No,_ he decided, _it isn't any cats fault but my own. I could have done the right thing, but I let anger and revenge take over my life._ Once he had calmed down enough, Ripplesky stood up and raced out onto the Thunderpath. As he made his way towards Highstones, he felt as if he had the strength of a hundred warriors. With one last stride, he reached the strip of grassy land on the edge, before making his way up the tall rocky slope.

Without hesitation, the silver cat padded into Mothermouth and began his way down the dark tunnel that lead to the Moonstone. His whiskers brushed against the cold walls, but he did not feel scared. He felt strangely calm.

Finally, the tunnel opened up into a large cave. The moon still hadn't reached the hole in the ceiling of the cave, meaning everything was still dark. As Ripplesky paced back and forth, waiting for the cave to illuminate, he wondered what StarClan would say. _What if they don't even visit me?_ Squeezing his eyes shut, Ripplesky let out a silent prayer. _I know I have done you wrong, but please hear me out-_

Suddenly, the Moonstone lit up, shaking him from his thoughts. Pushing his fear away, Ripplesky raced up to the cold stone and curled up and squeezed his eyes shut. _Please walk in my dreams! Please, please, please!_

After what felt like a lifetime, Ripplesky found himself in a misty pine forest. For a moment, he thought he was in the Dark Forest, but he realized this place was too clean. The smell of rotting flesh and toadstool did not fill the air, and the plants seemed to give off a glow that the Dark Forest did not have.

"Hello?" Ripplesky finally called out, his throat tightening up.

Slowly, one by one, cats began to slip out from the mist. Ripplesky recognized a few of the cats, but the majority of them were unknown to him.

"Ripplesky, what brings you to StarClan's hunting grounds?" an old tom bellowed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"I've come to ask for forgiveness," he gulped, his neck fur bristling slightly. _Stay calm._

The old tom began to circle around Ripplesky, an angry look plastered on his face. "It's too late to ask for forgiveness. You have already caused mass destruction and chaos. You do not care about any cat other than yourself, and your actions have proved this time and time again. If you really felt remorse, you would have pleaded for us to forgive you long ago. Now you only care, because you realize your soul will forever rest with the Dark Forest."

Before Ripplesky could respond, Nightsky stepped forward. "Alderpelt, perhaps we should hear him out? After all, he came all this way to speak with us!"

"How can you show him mercy, Nightsky? He murdered you, and is the reason your sister was slain in battle. He is a monster and you know it!" Alderpelt retorted angrily.

"I know, but I can't help but feel like this whole situation is my fault. If I had just kept my mouth shut, none of this would have ever happened. Ripplesky could have gone on to be a warrior, maybe even leader. Instead I-"

"Stop making excuses for me," Ripplesky interrupted. "I could have lived a good live as a medicine cat, but I chose to do wrong. Now everyone has suffered because of me."

Nightsky gave Alderpelt a pleading look, but the old medicine cat did not seem to believe a word Ripplesky had said. "You may say those things now, but you do not mean them."

"Just give him a chance!" Nightsky begged.

Alderpelt shook his head, before turning to look at the other cats that had crowded. "Do you believe this cat can be trusted?" he called out.

To Ripplesky's disappointment, the majority of cats shook their heads and let out angry hisses.

"He's a monster!" Mudfoot cried out. "He doesn't deserve an ounce of sympathy from any cat."

"He's no better than Snowdust. If she resides in the Dark Forest, why shouldn't he?" a familiar-looking black-and-white she-cat spat.

As the other cats yelled out their opinions, Ripplesky couldn't help but grow furious. "Why can't you all just forgive me? I want to start over, but you are acting like immature kits holding onto the past. Well, I'll show you all! I don't need your permission to be a good cat. I know who I am, and I am not the monster you have made me out to be. Not anymore, at least. Today I am turning over a new leaf, and I will do whatever it takes to show you that." Lifting his chin up high, Ripplesky stared into Alderpelt's eyes, before turning away.

Immediately, the silver tom jolted awake. His heart was pounding wildly, and his mouth felt dry. _I need to return home. My Clan will be worried about me._ As he raced down the long and dark tunnel, he could hear loud thunder rumbling outside. _Rain will do the forest good,_ he thought, trying to get his mind off his talk with StarClan.

Once he emerged from Mothermouth, Ripplesky noticed a heavy rain was falling from the sky. It quickly soaked him to the skin as he leaped down the rocks towards the Thunderpath. As he paused beside the dark path, his stomach began to churn with hunger. _I need my strength if I'm going to continue home. Otherwise I'll never be able to make it back._ Turning around, he headed in the direction of a small clump of trees.

Sniffing the air, Ripplesky quickly caught scent of a mouse. He scanned his surroundings, before spotting the small brown creature underneath some dried ferns. Once he was close enough, Ripplesky leaped and quickly killed the mouse. Licking his lips, the silver tom began to tear into his prey. It's juicy meat filled his belly, making him purr in delight. As he ate, he got lost in thought, until the sight of black clouds rising in the sky caught his attention.

"What's going on?" he meowed to himself, pushing the remains of the mouse away. Ripplesky quickly raced back out towards the Thunderpath to get a better view. His heart sunk into his belly as he recognized large orange flames in the distance. A fire!

Without bothering to check for monsters, he tore across the Thunderpath and onto the burning moorland. The rain had stopped for now, but the thunder and lightning raged on. Sparks floated through the air, landing dangerously close to him. _I need to get back to camp and warn my family before it's too late._

As he ran, he started to notice other animals racing past him, along with members of WindClan themselves. _They must be evacuating their camp,_ he realized.

Finally, Ripplesky reached the safety of Fourtrees where it seemed as though the WindClan warriors were taking shelter. "Are you all okay?" he asked, panting.

"What are you doing here? Haven't you been exiled from the forest?" Swiftstar demanded, ignoring his question.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter now. The moorland is on fire, and sooner or later the rest of the forest will follow. I need to get back to my camp, and you need to head deeper into the forest. With the flames moving as fast as they are, sooner or later Fourtrees will be engulfed." Ripplesky turned back to the blazing more, which sure enough, was nearly swallowed up by the fire.

"These lands are sacred. StarClan would never allow such a thing," the WindClan leader argued.

"I've come to learn you can't always trust StarClan," Ripplesky growled, before pushing past the older tom. As he padded into the undergrowth, he heard Swiftstar let out a call of protest, but he ignored it. Picking up the pace, Ripplesky headed for the Twoleg bridge.

Suddenly, he was tackled to the ground. Rolling onto his back, Ripplesky kicked up with his back feet, hoping to shake his attacker off of him. A flash of ginger fur caught his attention, making him believe he was being attacked by a fox. To his relief, he quickly noticed it was just Foxpaw. Pushing the apprentice off him, Ripplesky gave his chest fur a couple of licks. "Foxpaw, what are you doing so far from camp?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," a second voice, which Ripplesky quickly realized belonged to Birchstar, growled. The RiverClan leader stepped out from the withered undergrowth, his teeth barred in a snarl.

"What do you want?" the silver tom hissed.

"You're on RiverClan territory. I warned you about that when I exiled you," Birchstar said.

"I'm just passing through. I swear I mean no harm. Just let me get through to my family, and you'll never have to see me again," Ripplesky meowed.

"Don't worry, we've already taken care of them," Birchstar told him, smirking.

Ripplesky's eyes widened in horror. "What do you mean? Please tell me you haven't hurt them, especially not my kits. They haven't done anything wrong."

Birchstar rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, they're fine. I may be angry with you, but I would never kill innocent kits just to get back at you for all the destruction you've caused. I'm not a monster like you."

There was that word again. The very sound of it made Ripplesky's blood boil. "I am not a monster!" he cried out.

Foxpaw let out an annoyed snort. "Is that so? My father was killed because of you! If you had just confessed to your crimes instead of pinning it onto everyone else, Ember would still be alive." The apprentice then turned his attention to the far distance, his eyes widening. "The fire has spread to the other side of the river. We need to get back to camp at once, before it's too late!"

Birchstar let out a panicked shriek, before turning and fleeing. Foxpaw and Ripplesky followed after him.

"Where is my family?" Ripplesky called out.

"They're back at camp," Birchstar replied.

Finally, the three toms reached RiverClan's camp. Several warriors were gathered in the camp clearing, their eyes wide with fear. "Birchstar, the fire is headed-" Pikeheart paused once he noticed Ripplesky. "What is he doing here?"

"Don't worry about that. We must get ready to evacuate the camp," Birchstar said, before racing to the elders den.

Ripplesky began to search the camp for his family. To his annoyance, none of them could be found anywhere. "Minnowfur! Willowblaze! Frogtail! Where are you?" he shouted, hoping a member of RippleClan would hear him and come forward.

"They left a while back, looking for you. We tried to get them to stay in camp, but they wouldn't listen to us," Brambletail meowed, stepping forward.

"You've got to be kidding me! Can you tell me which way they've went?" Ripplesky asked.

"They split into two different groups. Waveheart, Splashflower and Minnowfur headed towards the abandoned Twoleg den, while Willowblaze and Frogtail headed for the Twoleg campgrounds." Brambletail's gaze was filled with fear as she glanced towards the black smoke that now covered the sky.

"And where are the kits?" he wondered. _Please don't tell me they're out all alone!_

"Don't worry, they're safe in the nursery with Rainfall," Brambletail reassured him. "Perhaps you should go stay with them. I'm sure the others will be returning home soon."

Ripplesky began to pace back and forth, unsure of what to do. He knew it would be impossible to search for both patrols at once, so for now he decided his best hope would be to wait. Giving a nod of thanks to Brambletail, he scurried over to the nursery. Inside, Rainfall was curled up fast asleep in her nest. Beside her were two little kits, along with his own three.

"Three?!" he suddenly exclaimed, realizing Icekit was missing from the bunch.

"Father, you're here! We were so worried about you," Blossomkit squeaked, racing up to him.

"Where is Icekit?" Ripplesky demanded, sniffing around the den for his son.

"He followed mama out of camp. He said he wanted to help find you," Lionkit spoke up.

Just then, Ripplesky felt as if his heart had shattered into a million pieces. "Does Willowblaze know this?" When the kits shook their heads, Ripplesky let out a groan. "You three stay put! I have to go find Icekit, before it's too late!"

Tearing out of camp, Ripplesky headed in the direction of the Twoleg campgrounds. "Icekit!" he yowled, sniffing the air for any signs of his son. "Icekit, where are you?" As he padded further and further away from the river, the silver tom began to get choked up by the smoke. It was clear the fire was close by, meaning that Icekit would be burned alive if he was anywhere near.

"Ripplesky?" Willowblaze exclaimed, racing up to him. "Where did you go? We were all so worried about you. You said you would just be gone for a quick hunt-"

"Icekit's missing. He followed you out of camp, and he must have gotten lost," Ripplesky coughed.

Willowblaze's eyes widened in horror. "Oh StarClan, no! We have to find him, quick! The campgrounds are up in flames, and sooner or later this very spot we're standing on will be as well."

"We need to hurry up then," Frogtail meowed grimly, before racing away to look for Icekit.

"Icekit! Where are you?" Ripplesky yowled again. _I'll never be able to live with myself if Icekit isn't found,_ Ripplesky thought. As the three cats searched through the territory, a faint cry could be heard in the distance.

"Do you hear that?" Ripplesky asked, pausing.

"I don't hear anything," Willowblaze said, straining her ears. Finally she exclaimed, "Wait, I think I hear a little cry! It's coming from over there." The pale brown she-cat flicked her tail in the direction of a beech copse that grew nearby.

"Help me! Somebody help!" a tiny voice yelled.

"That has to be him. Let's go!" Without waiting for the others, Ripplesky raced in the direction of the trees. Half of them had already been engulfed by the flames, and the remaining few were starting to burn.

"Icekit?" Ripplesky called out as he looked up at the branches of the trees. Embers and other debris from the fire floated through the air, burning his pelt. "Icekit, can you hear me?"

A few seconds later, a tiny voice could be heard. "I'm over here!" Ripplesky continued to scan the trees, before spotting his son high up in one of the burning beech trees.

Springing forward, Ripplesky began towards the tree. "Don't panic, I'm coming to get you!"

"Ripplesky, no! It's too dangerous!" Willowblaze called out a few seconds after she appeared. "Let Frogtail get him."

"I have to do this," he told her, before hooking his claws into the tree. As he climbed up, he felt the sweltering heat of the fire all around him. Smoke burned his eyes and lungs, but he continued on. He had to save his son no matter what. _I can't let him die._ Below, Frogtail and Willowblaze gathered, their eyes wide with fear.

"Please be careful!" Willowblaze begged.

By the time Ripplesky reached the branch Icekit was on, the majority of the tree along with the ground underpaw was up in flames. Carefully, Ripplesky crept out onto the smoldering branch and scooped up his now unconscious son. _I know you're angry with me StarClan, but please let Icekit make it out alive._ Scooping him up by the scruff, Ripplesky padded towards the end of the branch. As he walked, it bounced up and down under his weight, threatening to snap at any second.

"The branch is on fire! Hurry!" Frogtail screeched.

Bunching his muscles, Ripplesky leaped forward. As soon as his paws left the branch, it snapped in half, sending a shower of splinters and sparks into the air. Twisting through the air, Ripplesky tried to balance himself, but it was too late.

He landed roughly, snapping his back leg. Icekit tumbled from his mouth, before laying unconscious a few fox lengths away.

Willowblaze raced forward and began covering her son in licks, while Frogtail padded over to Ripplesky. "Come on, we've got to get going right now."

"My leg," he croaked, his lungs burning for air. "I think I broke it."

"Are you okay?" Willowblaze cried out, her eyes tearing up.

"D-Don't worry about it," Ripplesky whimpered, staggering to his paws. As he placed weight down on his back leg, he immediately collapsed.

"Frogtail and I will help you," Willowblaze told him, before padding over to his side. Slowly, she nudged him to his paws, where he immediately collapsed once more.

"Just go," he argued, wincing in pain. "I promise I'll catch up to you. I just need a few seconds to rest."

"You don't have a few seconds! The fire is right here," Frogtail said, his voice filled with fear.

Ripplesky squeezed his eyes shut. He knew he would just slow them down. "Just go," he repeated, sitting up the best he could. "The kits need you, Willowblaze."

Tears rolled down Willowblaze's face as she stared at him. "They need their father too. I will _not_ leave you here." She then looked up at the fire, which would quickly engulf them if they did not move quickly. She exchanged a few looks with Frogtail, before bending down to nuzzle Ripplesky. "I love you. Please return home." Without saying another word, she picked up Icekit and followed Frogtail towards RiverClan's camp.

Ripplesky tried to follow them, but he was in too much pain to move. As he watched his mate and friend go, tears began to roll down his face. He knew he would not make it out alive, but he didn't care. He had given up his life to save Icekit, which was the most important thing a father could do. As the smoke rolled over him, the silver tom began to choke for air. Crawling forward, he tried to get away, but his body was too weak. Growing limp, Ripplesky collapsed.

 _Help me, StarClan..._

* * *

 ** _Several years later..._**

Icewhisker stumbled through the camp entrance, a bundle of marigold clamped in his jaws. Staggering forward, the medicine cat slowly made his way towards his den. As he neared, his apprentice Mousetail, poked her head out.

"Where have you been?" she exclaimed. "I've been looking for you all afternoon!"

"I went to go fetch more marigold," Icewhisker replied, dropping his herbs at her paws.

Mousetail's whiskers twitched. "You're too old to be leaving camp by yourself, especially during this time of year. It's too cold out and you could catch greencough again. What would the Clan do without you?"

"They would have you to look after them," Icewhisker said, plopping down in his nest.

Mousetail looked down at her paws. "I-I don't think I'm ready for that responsibility yet. I still need you to guide me, Icewhisker." The small brown tabby's eyes started to tear up as she looked at her mentor.

A small purr rumbled in the silver-gray tom's throat. "You have been my apprentice for many years. I know if something were to happen to me, you would be able to take care of the Clan just fine. That's why I chose you as my apprentice. Have faith in yourself, because I cannot be around forever to guide you."

"Thank you," she whispered.

The den became silent for a few moments, before Icewhisker rasped, "My father took over as RiverClan's medicine cat when he was just a young apprentice. I was just a young kit when he died, but my mother said he was one of the best medicine cats she saw." The old tom let out a sigh as he thought about his parents. His memories of his father were vague, but he still felt a strong connection towards him. _After all, he saved me from the fire. If it hadn't of been for him, I wouldn't be here right now._

"Your father was a medicine cat?" Mousetail exclaimed. "But I thought medicine cats were forbidden from taking a mate and having kits." It was no surprise to Icewhisker that his apprentice had never heard of Ripplesky. After his death, cats stopped mentioning Ripplesky. It was almost as if he didn't exist. The only cats who seemed to remember where those closest to him, but even then his memory was not passed on to the newer generations of the Clan out of fear and shame.

"Both of my parents were medicine cats, actually. My mother, Willowblaze, came from ShadowClan. She was exiled as soon as the Clan found out she was pregnant, so she came to live with my father, who at the time was living as a rogue."

"Why?" Mousetail asked, her eyes wide.

"It's a long story, one I will have to tell you in the morning," Icewhisker yawned. Mousetail said something more to him, but the old medicine cat was too tired to make out what she had said. As he drifted off to sleep, his body felt strange, almost weightless. The air around him began to grow cold, and suddenly he found himself in a starry meadow. Gathered all around him stood familiar faces which he had not seen in seasons.

Immediately, Icewhisker knew what had happened to him. "I wish I would have known it was my time," he whispered. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

Willowblaze padded towards her son and touched noses with him. "You can visit Mousetail's dreams soon and say your goodbyes then. Right now, you must say hello to everyone. They've been looking forward to seeing you."

Purring, Icewhisker padded towards the crowd of cats. To his left, he spotted his sisters Blossomheart and Poppysplash. Waveheart and Splashflower were sitting directly behind them. Minnowfur, Frogtail, and their kits Cherryflower and Waspfur sat to his right. Lionwhisker and his son, Nettlepaw, were also there.

As Icewhisker looked through the crowd, he started to feel overwhelmed. "There are so many cats here..." he trailed off, trying to find his father.

"Don't bother. He isn't here," Willowblaze sighed, her eyes full of sorrow.

"Where is he?" Icewhisker asked, feeling a pang of sadness. _I want to thank him for saving my life all those years ago._

"We don't know. None of us have seen him. We even checked the Dark Forest, but he is no where to be found. I guess his spirit walks in another realm that we do not know about," Willowblaze replied, flicking her tail.

Icewhisker flattened his ears to his head, but did not know what to say. Before any cat could speak, two silhouettes appeared at the top of the rise. As the unfamiliar cats made their way towards the group, Willowblaze let out a gasp.

"It can't be!" she whispered. "Ripplesky?"

"It's me," Ripplesky meowed as soon as he was close enough. Ripplesky's pelt was glossy and well groomed, and his blue eyes were full of happiness. The black she-cat that stood behind him looked equally happy.

"But... how? I thought you walked with another afterlife!" Minnowfur said in shock.

"Where have you been? We've been looking for you for ages!" Splashflower exclaimed, running up to her son. "We've all missed you so much."

As the cats gathered around Ripplesky, the black she-cat opened her mouth to speak. "Ripplesky's spirit walked in afterlife for cats with conflicted spirits. After enough persuasion, StarClan told me I was able to fetch him and bring him back where he belongs."

Ripplesky frowned. "How can you say that, Nightsky? After everything-"

"You're not a monster, Ripplesky. Your crimes are in the past, and are all forgiven. Stop beating yourself up over what you cannot change," Nightsky told him. "I know I was angry with you once, but I'm over it. Please believe me when I say you belong here."

"Thank you." He smiled slightly, before turning towards Icewhisker. "Welcome to StarClan."

Once again, a loud purr rumbled in Icewhisker's throat as he padded towards his father. He quickly nuzzled him, before meowing, "Thank you for saving me all those years ago." Backing away, Icewhisker stared into his father's blue eyes. They were filled with warmth and happiness, opposed to the cold stare he had held when he was alive. Icewhisker could tell his father was truly a changed cat, and that he was happy to be among his family once again.

* * *

 **I apologize for not updating in such a long time. I did not have access to a computer, so I was not able to update. With that said, I hope everyone enjoyed this last chapter. I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has read and supported this story. I had a lot of fun writing and creating this story, so I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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